CherryBomb: Hearts Away!
by Kami-Inu
Summary: Yamanaka Ino was an average, albeit lonely high school student, who one day discovers an ability to see what others cannot. She also comes face to face with death-but is saved, by a wild demon hunter named Haruno Sakura. And so, it begins. AU, Shojo-Ai.
1. Blonde Hair and Demons

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-if any appear in this story. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter One: Blond Hair and Demons

"Damn it! I'm gonna be late!"

Down the streets in the bustling city of Konoha, a young girl was desperately pushing and shoving her way through the crowds. It was almost 8:00 am on a Wednesday, and she had overslept.

And she was nowhere near the high school.

'BUMP' "Hey! Watch it!"

"Oh! S-Sorry!" _Sheesh, why today, of all days? I have a test, first thing up! Oh God, do you hate me or something? I can't afford to miss this!_

Her name was Yamanaka Ino, and she was a senior at Konoha High.

As she rounded a corner, her shoes skidded on a wet patch of cement-it had rained the night before-and she shrieked, grabbing a lamp post to keep from falling. Her legs splayed, and she almost did the splits right there.

"Augh! Stupid flats!" She cursed at her shoes, scowling. She'd had them for a couple years already, and it was beginning to show. The bottoms were worn smooth, to the point of peeling at the edges, and one of the straps had already snapped. She'd had to sew it back on, and then the buckle had broken. She kept it in place with tape, but it had to be changed every few days.

She pushed her bangs out of her face, and continued running. Her blond ponytail streamed out behind her. Her sky blue eyes blinked rapidly, as a bright beam of sunlight suddenly shot into her line of vision.

'BEEP BEEP' "Yeek!" Ino had unknowingly crossed against the light, and almost became road kill, as a grey sedan swerved and slammed on the brakes.

As Ino tried to catch her breath, the driver furiously pounded at his horn a few more times. "What the hell is wrong with you, girly? You stupid or something?"

"I'm-I'm sorry! Really! Forgive me!" Her face was burning. She hurried across to the other side of the street. She didn't need to be told twice. She was in the middle of traffic.

Today was just _not_ her day.

'WHOOSH' "Aiee! Shit!" A gust of wind had almost lifted up her skirt. She hated her uniform-a short red plaid skirt, white long sleeve button up shirt, black vest, and matching red plaid tie. It wasn't so much the top that she didn't care for-just the bottom. It was too short! Absolutely _horrible_ every time the wind blew, and as for the males on her campus…don't ask. Guys were such _pervs_ nowadays…

'TRIP' "Ack!"

'WHUMP'

"Owwwch…no more, please…" Ino had tripped over a rather jagged crack in the sidewalk, and was now sprawled out on her stomach.

She sat back, pulling her legs up to access the damage. It was just as she feared…a nasty strawberry had opened up on her right knee, and was slowly bleeding down to her white socks.

"Dang it…there's no way I can make it now…" She stared at a lone patch of grass near a high fence, and felt the long suppressed tears begin to rise to her eyes_. _She tried to hold them back, once again.

_I feel so useless…nothing new there. _She sighed. _If I_ _can't make it on time…can I at least ask to arrive in one piece?_

"Excuse me…are you okay? Do you need help?" She looked up, startled. Who was that? Were they talking to her?

A young boy, about twelve or thirteen, stood before her. He had sandy brown hair, and a worried expression that reached his amber eyes. His clothes were a little tattered and dirty. Ino didn't care. He was asking if she was okay…that _never_ happened around here. In the big city, no one gave a damn.

She sniffed, and looked away. "I'm fine…I'm just clumsy. And now, I've made myself late for school. I have an important test today…I can't do anything right…" Her hands clenched into fists.

"Um…" The boy reached out to her. Ino was shocked. "I may not be able to get you to your school on time, but…I can at least help you walk. That cut looks pretty deep, too. Um…" He pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket. "Here. You can keep them. I don't need them." He smiled slightly. "My mom…she always made me carry these around."

Ino didn't know what to say. She simply mumbled a 'thank you', before taking the pack, and pulling out a sheet. She dabbed lightly at the wound on her knee, wincing. It was pretty bad. But she was able to clean up most of the blood.

After she was done, the boy carefully helped her to her feet. She didn't want to, but she ended up leaning against him for most of the walk to the campus.

"Hey." Ino's voice caught his attention. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Thank you, for all of this. What's your name?"

He smiled shyly. "You're welcome. And, I'm Shinji. Otori Shinji."

"Yamanaka Ino." She grinned sheepishly. "Total bad luck charm, as well as being late for school. Nice to meet you."

"You're not bad luck. It's just an off day. Everyone has them." This made her feel a little better.

As they maneuvered through the crowds, Ino couldn't help but notice how many people were looking at them strangely. A few even seemed disgusted. She glared back at them. What, they'd never seen chivalry before?

"Here it is…Konoha High." Ino straightened up, and glanced at the clock tower. 8:13. Great. She was very late. But…

She turned to Shinji. She had met someone very kind this morning. Even with all the bad things, it was worth it. To know that there were still people out there who cared…she couldn't help it. She felt warm, and lighthearted. For the first time in a long time. She smiled at him this time, and he blushed.

"Well, again, thank you very much, Shinji. It was very nice to meet you. I hope to see you again. Under better circumstances, though." She waved her arm, and chuckled. He did too, but she couldn't help but notice-there was a strange sadness present in his expression now. It hadn't been there before.

"Goodbye, Yamanaka Ino…it was nice to be with you, too." He headed back down the road. Ino turned around, and began to limp up the stairs. Before anything else, she needed a bandaid.

She didn't notice that Shinji had stopped walking, and was watching her, or that he seemed to fade away into the scenery of the city…

**…...**

"Hey! Yamanaka! Oi, Yamanaka!"

"Urrgh…go away, please…"

"Aw, come on! Don't be so moody!"

"Inuzuka…I'm not afraid to kick you."

"Yeah, I know. You're just too lazy!" 'BONK' "Oww! What the hell, Shika?"

"She's tired. Leave her alone. Dummy…"

Ino was sitting at a table under a tree, slumped over. Her earlier depression had returned with a vengeance. After checking in at the office to collect a late pass and getting patched up at the health room, she realized that she had missed the morning announcements in Homeroom, and later on, was certain that she'd failed the test in First period. From there, everything just went downhill, as her energy was completely drained. Draped against the table, she resembled a limp piece of pasta, with blond hair.

"You know why you're so tired, though, yeah? It's because you rush around so much." Her only real confidant- though she would never say it to his face-Nara Shikamaru, was sitting next to her, his dark brown hair pulled up into its usual ponytail. Yes, ponytail. He was yawning. Well, nothing new there. He was almost always asleep; yet, somehow, he got straight A's. It baffled his teachers to no end. Ino too, was confused, but she never asked him about it. She figured it was one of the many wondrous oddities of life.

"Shut up, Shika," she muttered into her arms. "You know why I was rushing. I was late."

"Don't you have an alarm clock or something?" Inuzuka Kiba tilted his head. He was a wild looking guy, messy brown hair, with red triangles painted on his face. At least, Ino thought they were painted. She couldn't be sure. His uniform was wrinkled and stained, and there were a few rips in the pants. Probably from his dog, Akamaru. He loved dogs. That's why he had one. But man if that mutt wasn't mental!

"Why are you still here, dog breath? Go away." She tried to lift her hand, but failed. It hit the wooden surface with a faint flop.

"It's a free country. I can sit where I like." He stuck out his tongue.

"Screw you." She turned her head. "And, yes, I have an alarm clock. It just _happened_ to choose _today _to break on me."

"That, plus the fact that you barely eat, is not a good combination." Shika sighed. "Ino, go grab a lunch or something. You'll feel better."

"No I won't."

"Why don't you eat more?" 'MUNCH' Shika rolled his eyes at the speaker. Akimichi Choji, a rather large boy with brown hair and swirling red cheeks, sat across from them. A bag of chips was in his hands. How he had wound up friends with the guy, Shikamaru would never know. He was always eating. You would never see him without food. The teachers had given up a long time ago trying to keep him from eating in class.

"Because, she's a girl. And girls are constantly obsessed with their looks and weight." At this, Ino's head snapped up.

"No, that's not it, Shika! I just happen to have a small appetite!" She paused. "That comes and goes when it pleases." Kiba snorted. Ino glared at him.

"So, your appetite has a personality, too? Interesting…" Shika began drumming his fingers on the tabletop.

"Forget it. You wouldn't understand." She sighed in exasperation, and plunked her face down against the table once more.

"Nah, it's just you!" Kiba scratched his head. "Oh! Gotta go, Hinata is calling!" Shika gagged. Hyuuga Hinata was Kiba's girlfriend. He would always get sappy and mushy around her…it was troublesome, as he would put it.

"See ya." With a single bound, Kiba was gone.

Shika looked at the brooding Ino once more, before sighing in defeat, and staring up at the sky. Cloud gazing was always fun…it took him away from everything.

Too bad it wasn't so simple to escape for Ino.

**…...**

'BRRRIIING'

"Woo-hoo! And school is out for the day!"

Ino was seemingly lost among the mass of teenaged bodies, as she made her way to the exit. It had been a lousy day…she just wanted to go home and sleep. Forever, if possible. No one would miss her, anyway, so it was a good deal.

She fiddled with the end of her long blond ponytail, as she descended the steps. Yes, no one would care-not her mother, who was too busy with the flower shop and trying to be a big business success, or her father, who had been a drunk. He'd left the house one day and never returned. He was found dead in a bathroom stall, apparently from alcohol poisoning.

She'd been nine at the time. But it hadn't been much of a shock, since he'd never been home in the first place. She hadn't cried at the funeral-she was unable to find a single tear to shed, simply because she didn't know what she was supposed to be crying for. And her mother had scolded her for this afterwards-for being such a horrible child.

Ino had started bawling then.

That was when she noticed, that her heart truly began to harden…

'GWOOO…' A cold breeze had kicked up. It played with the hem of her skirt, but she didn't seem to notice-or care. All she could focus on was the pain inside. She hated being alone. Even her 'friends' at school had no idea about her past, present and future-if she lived that long. But yes, they had no clue as to what had happened before. Or how she felt inside. If she were to open up, they would push her away. Others had. She refused to take that risk again. A shallow relationship was better than none at all…right?

"**GRRROWLL…**" The sound startled her. It was so _loud_. She looked around. No one else seemed to have noticed it. She shook her head. It was just the city.

"**GRRROOOWLLL…HEH HEH HEH…**" She whirled around. Okay, _that_ was freaking scary! How could no one have heard that? She glanced from side to side. Nothing.

And then…

A hint of _something_ caught her eye, to the left, in a corner across the street. She turned, slowly, and noticed right away the large shadow on the wall. It was _huge_!

And it was moving…

But what was creating it?

When its caster stepped into plain view, however, Ino wished she hadn't bothered to even think about it. Her blood ran cold, and she could feel herself turning pale.

An ugly, slinking, sliding, slimy creature, one that she'd never seen the likes of before and hoped she never would again, stood on the road. It had lumpy, dragging arms, two claws on each, jutting out of what she could only assume were hands-they were bulky and swollen in appearance, like permanent boxing gloves with boils. A long, spiky tail swished side to side. Its eyes were glowing red, and when it curled its lips, jagged, yellow fangs were revealed. It almost seemed to be grinning...in her direction.

A chill shot down Ino's spine. _H-Holy crap, what the hell is that thing? Am I going crazy? Please, please, __**please**__, somebody tell me that-that thing isn't real!_ She was starting to shake. A few passers-by raised their eyebrows at her apparent panic. "What's her problem?" one of them muttered.

She wasn't paying any attention. The 'thing' had begun to move, shuffling and slurping across the road, over and through the cars-wait, what?

Yes, it was true. Like a ghost, it was passing through everything on the road. Ino was sweating. Was she the only one who could see this? Had she finally snapped?

It had reached the other side of the street-her side. It had to be at least a few stories tall-at the bare minimum, five.

Suddenly, it lifted up an arm. Ino's eyes widened. What was it doing?

'WHOOSH' 'CRASH' Its fist had slammed down, into the ground. The street shook, people screamed, and cars wobbled. It was like an earthquake! Ino stumbled backwards, and was now looking up. The creature caught her gaze.

And it began to chuckle.

That _couldn't_ be good.

"**HEH HEH HEH…HEY, BLONDIE…I KNOW YOU CAN SEE ME." **She squeaked-it was the only sound that would come out of her mouth. It was talking to her…_it_ was _talking_ to _her_. What did it want?

"**MMM…AND, YOU SMELL GOOD…REALLY GOOD…" **Her heart dropped. That sounded _bad_. _Really__ bad_.

"**ENOUGH PLAYING AROUND-NOW IT'S TIME TO ENJOY MY MEAL! HEH HEH HEH…"**

And with that, it began stomping towards her.

Yes-this was turning into an absolutely _awful_ day.

And it might possibly be the _**very last day**_ of her, Yamanaka Ino's, life.

To be Continued…?

**A/N: UPDATED** **So, yeah, that's Ch. 1! Wow...it sure has been a long time since I wrote this. I decided to tidy up my last Author's note, and just give you the basics. Since it's been about two years from the day of publication, after all. ^^**

**This is a Yuri/Shojo-Ai fic, as in girlxgirl. If that is not your cup of tea, then feel free to leave at any time. I won't hold it against you. :) The pairing is SakuxIno. The setting is a modern day AU, and some of the personalities...are a bit different. But, I did my best to keep at least some of the canon together. If you like it, great! If not, then...well, drop me a line. Feedback is always appreciated. **

**Next time: The grand entrance of Sakura! See you soon! **


	2. Saved! By Pink Hair?

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-if any appear in this story. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Two: Saved! By…PINK HAIR?

'CRASH' "No, no no no no no _no_! _**Why me?**_"

Ino was tearing down the streets, as fast as she could, without tripping up. Her sides were throbbing in protest, and her wounded knee was bleeding again-she could feel its warmth coursing down her leg. But she didn't care. She just had to get away.

_**Smooth move, Ex-Lax! You just had to play the hero, didn't you? **_Her conscience was screaming at her, over her previous move. Ino tried to block it out-and failed. What in the hell had she been thinking? Her thoughts raced as she recalled the exchange that had taken place just minutes before.

"_No..."_

_Ino felt paralyzed. She had no clue what she should do. All she was certain of was that a.) This-this monster in front of her realized she existed, b.) Only she could see it, and c.) It had decided to make her into an afternoon snack. While destroying downtown Konoha in the process._

'_Shit! I can't move…this thing is gonna kill me! In front of everyone!' She paused in thought, for just a moment, pondering about how that would actually look, before coming to the conclusion that she really _**_didn't_**_ want to know. Her heart hammered in her chest, as if a crazy metal drummer was pounding at it like his instrument during a concert._

'_I'm going to die, and the town is gonna be totally trashed!' A lump had formed in her throat, upon stating this. Although…although her memories of this city weren't exactly the fondest, no one should have to suffer just because of her._

_She rose to her feet, a desperate plan in her mind, and blue fire burning in her eyes. If that __**slimeball**__ wanted to eat her, so be it. But it needed to leave everyone else alone._

"_Alright, ugly." She looked it square in the eye. It blinked. "You want me? Then…" She turned on her heel. "COME AND GET ME!"_

_And Ino had taken off running._

_The creature had begun to laugh. Ino hated the sound. It made her sick. She could feel it thundering away behind her, as its lower body slammed against the concrete. "__**WELL, WELL. YOU GOT GUTS, BLONDIE, I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. **__**BUT I'LL BE EATING 'EM SOON ENOUGH! HAHAH!" **__Ino gulped. _**_Not_**_ good._

"_**A LITTLE WORKOUT BEFORE A MEAL NEVER KILLED ANYONE! 'CEPT YOU! HAHAHAH!"**_

_She kept on running. Running, running, running. Where she was running to, she didn't know. She just had to keep that creep focused on her, and get it away from the buildings and people. That was her job. She had been completely useless for most of her life-it was about time she did something right._

_But did she _**_really_**_ have to die for it?_

"WAAUGH!" Back to the present. Ino had just managed to miss crashing into a fruit cart, and then another lamp post. She yelled out a "Sorry!" without actually turning around to see if the vendor had heard it. Any second now, Slimy was going to come roaring through…

'THOOM' 'CRUNCH' "Jesus Christ! What the heck is happening? Are these earthquakes?"

"Maybe the world is ending!"

"Get away from the roads! The tripods are gonna come up and burn us all any second!"

"You watch too many movies, Shiro!"

Great. So much for avoiding a mass outbreak of panic. But at least the crowds were dissipating. There were fewer people in her way. She could keep moving, without worrying about collisions.

"Whoa! Shady, much?"

Ino had taken a side street and found herself in the red light district, which was no less dangerous in the day. But right now, over being hit on or mauled by a demon, she'd take her chances with the perverts.

As she rushed by a dingy club called 'Lucky Lotus', a couple of goons-obviously small-time gang members-whistled at her. "Hey, sexy, what's the hurry? Come party with us!"

Without stopping, she replied, "Sorry, I'm allergic to parties!" In her head, she was counting down. _Three, two, one…_

'WHAM' 'SMASH' "Holy crap!"

"H-Hey, what the"-

"What's goin' on? The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

"No, you dumb shit, it's a natural dipaster!"

Normally, Ino would have found something like that amusing, to say the least-tough guys who couldn't speak or spell. But when your life is on the line, you don't really have time to laugh.

With that cleared up, she rounded a corner, and tried not to focus on the images in the windows-porno shops. _Uggh…_

**...**

'HYWOOO…'

A lone figure stood atop a nearby building. The wind was streaming through her hair, as she observed the scene a few blocks away. A grin graced her lips.

"Heh. I finally found you, _Danny-boy_. Now it's time," She cocked a pistol, "to send you back to Hell!"

And with a single leap, she bounded across to the next rooftop.

She would show them. She would show them all. They should've never banished her here in the first place.

She was good at what she did. And now she would prove it.

**...**

'CRACK' 'CRASH'

"Oww! Son of a…"

Ino had just been showered with broken glass. She had tripped a second earlier, and had to roll out of the way to avoid being crushed by a falling shop sign. She winced as she rose to her feet. A few more deep cuts had formed on her legs, as well as her arms and hands. And of course, she couldn't forget the bruising.

"**AWW, WHAT'S THE MATTER? IS MY 'LIL' TREAT GETTING TIRED?" **Ino stiffened. "**WANT ME TO PUT YOU OUTTA YOUR MISERY ALREADY?"**

"NO!" She gasped. Every inch of her body ached-but she refused to give up. Even though her strength was sapped, she would keep moving.

She had realized then, that she hadn't been serious earlier, about wanting to sleep forever-wanting to die. She wanted to live. _Live_, and prove to everyone that she was worth something. Prove to _herself _that she was worth a damn.

She was wobbling, but still running, as she ducked down under a rope, and found herself in a construction lot. She staggered over to a small pile of steel beams, to catch her breath. How much longer could she keep this up, though? Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and stained by blood and dirt. They were ripped and torn, and her hair was falling out of its high ponytail, and sticking to her face.

'THOOM' "Shit! Gotta get out of here…" Ino stepped over the unfinished stone base, and into the rising maze of beams and wires. Which way did she go now?

"**HEH! THERE YOU ARE…" **she backed away from the voice, as far as she could go, until her spine brushed against something solid. With ever mounting dread, she saw that she was cornered-pressed up flat, and shivering, along the single completed wall of the site. Just her luck…

"**WELL, WELL, GUESS THIS IS IT." **Ino's mouth was dry, her mind was blank; she had no moves left. It was all over.

"**TRUE, YOU DID ENTERTAIN ME WITH YOUR LITTLE GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE, BUT PLAYTIME'S OVER. TIME TO FEAST." **It was _so close_ to her now…she could _feel _its hot breath, and she choked, as the scent of rotting flesh filled her nostrils. She began to cough and retch. The stench was so _strong_…her eyes watered. The demon chuckled.

_I-I-I can't…believe this. I'm…I'm actually…going to die…_her thoughts trailed off. This couldn't be happening…this stuff only happened in the movies…or comics…and this wasn't either of those, it was her life!

She shut her eyes tight, as the monster raised an arm, ready to slice her with its claws…

_This is the end. I guess…I wasn't meant to survive after all…_

She tensed. Being torn apart would probably hurt…a lot…she hoped her death was instantaneous.

"**SAY SAYONARA, BLONDIE! AHAHAHAHA…"**

'WHOOSH'

'BANG'

'SPLURTCH'

**...**

"**GAAH! WHAT-WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?"**

"Sound the alarm-it's CHERRY BOMB!"

Ino's baby blues flashed open. The demon before her was in obvious pain-its hand had been almost blown off completely. The oozing wound seemed to glitter briefly, with pink and black _sparkles_. Ino couldn't help it-she stared.

"Yo! Dan-i-el!" Ino's head shot in the direction of the speaker. Who _was_ that? It was female…but it was _so loud_…

"**EH? AND JUST WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" **'Daniel' growled.

"Me? Oh, just the Demon Hunter who's about to send your ass packing! So get ready!" She jumped down from the higher beams. Ino gasped. "'Cuz _here I come_."

The girl who stood before Ino couldn't have been any older than she herself. She wore a sleeveless red crop top, with a white circle design upon the shoulders, as well as white trimming. She had a matching skirt bottom that flowed above her knees, and was slit up to the hip on both sides. Her arms were covered with long black fingerless gloves, made of leather, with straps and zippers. They reached past her elbows. Around her waist was a black and pink gun holster-Ino's jaw dropped at this-and on her back appeared to be another giant…contraption, of some sort. Under her skirt were tight black leather Capri's, and on her feet were shoes that resembled combat boots, with the toes cut off.

But what really got to Ino was her hair, and eyes. In fact, her whole face made her stop and _stare_!

This girl had flashing green eyes; brighter than emeralds, and shoulder length pink hair with matching eyebrows_. Pink hair with matching eyebrows. _What in the bloody hell? As well as a rather large and prominent forehead…At this moment, Ino wasn't sure if she was going mad, or if it was just everyone else. She slumped a little.

"**YOU! YOU BITCH…LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY HAND! AND, YOU INTERRUPTED MY MEAL!" **Daniel was really glaring now. "**HEY…YOU'RE THAT NUMBSKULL WHO BLEW UP THE TRAINING CENTER, AREN'T YOU? DON'T TELL ME THEY BANISHED YOU HERE!"**

"SHUT UP! Don't you _dare _talk about that-it was an accident! And just cuz I'm banished doesn't mean I'ma stop doing my job! I'm a Demon Hunter, through and through! And I'm _proud_ of it!" She pounded a fist against her chest.

"Uhh…okaaaaay…" Ino was officially lost. What on God's green Earth was going on?

"Hm?" The pinkette glanced behind Daniel's hulking form. Her eyes rested on Ino. For some reason, Ino felt her face heat up-she didn't know why. Maybe because she wasn't exactly well groomed and proper at the moment…?

"That's your meal? Huh-scrawny little thing." Ino's blush was replaced with anger. _Scrawny? _Although in pain, she stumbled to her feet.

"HEY! PINKY!" The force behind the apparent insult caught her off guard. "I've been a good sport up until now, but _no more_! You're going to tell me, right now-_WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?_" The pinkette winced, and covered her ears. _Sheesh_…humans and their little temper-tantrums.

But still, this one _could_ see them…so, she was obligated to keep her alive. Just like the rule book stated.

That didn't mean she had to enjoy it, though.

"**ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT! I'M JUST GONNA EAT THE BOTH OF YOU!" **Daniel proceeded to lunge at Ino. She screamed.

"Ah-ah-ah! This is a no eating zone! Bad boy!" In a second, the pink haired one was by her side. She wrapped an arm around Ino's waist, and leapt upwards. Ino was blushing once more-this stranger was_ way_ too close for comfort!

"Plus, you're an escapee, so the punishment iiiiiisss…DEATH!" In mid-air, she pulled out a pistol. Ino shrieked. The pinkette stared. "What? I'm not gonna shoot _you_!"

"B-But-But it's illegal for civilians to have o-or use guns here!"

"Oh." She paused. "Well…I don't think I'm a 'cilvi-ilvian'. So too bad." She fired a bullet at the snarling demon, before landing on an upper beam.

Ino was frantic by now. As Sakura let go of the blond, she watched as she scurried away to a corner, gripping at one of the poles for dear life. The student had no idea which was worse now: the demon or the pinkette! Both were absolutely _insane_!

"What the hell is wrong with you? You psycho!" Ino waved a fist threateningly, and then squealed as she almost lost her balance. She did _not_ want to fall off from this height…yeah. If the demon didn't kill her, the impact would.

"Psycho?" The girl marched straight up to Ino, until they were a mere inch away from each other. The blond gulped. "Last I remember, _you_ were about to be chewed up and digested by the living _barf_ down below us!"

"Yeah, well _you're_ not making it any better! You just pop up outta nowhere, pick me up, and start shooting off that-that _dangerous weapon_," she motioned to the pistol in her left hand. The pinkette grinned slightly. "…and drop me off up here, as if it's all _fine_ and frigging dandy-_I could have died!_" Ino was seething. "I have been having the _worst_ day of my life! You don't even _know_!"

"Oh, yeah? Try spending half a_ year_ in the men's prison, just because you 'accidentally' get a little slap-happy with the mini bombs!" She stomped her foot. "They were _custom made, _for the C-Class-which I happen to be a part of-and they_ left them out on an open surface_! How could they _not _expect me to try them out?" Ino had no idea what the pinkette was going on about.

'SLAM' 'WHAM' "Oh, shit! Tiny Tim is getting antsy!" Daniel was ripping the beams and poles out, one by one, and smashing them against the section where the two girls stood.

'CRUNCH' "YAAAH-!" The bars were bending. Ino lost her balance, and the pull of gravity was too strong-her grip slipped. She was falling to her imminent doom!

What else was new?

"NO way! Gotcha!" The wild pink hair had grabbed her hand at the last possible second, and now Ino was dangling over the edge. She stared into her flashing green eyes, and saw something that hadn't been there before-compassion. She was stunned.

'THWACK' "**COME TO ME, MY DELICIOUS LITTLE TREAT!" **Daniel was right below her! His jaws were snapping and gnashing, and a trickle of drool was beginning to trail down his face. Ino shivered.

"Get up here already!" With a single sharp yank, Ino was next to the pink haired one on the toppling frame. She watched her put away the pistol from earlier. She only noticed it now-it was a shiny black, with a cherry blossom engraved on the frame.

"Wh-What are you gonna do now?" Ino was afraid to ask, but she didn't have much choice. Over Daniel or the crazy pinkette, she chose the psycho, this time around.

"Hmmm…" She was deep in thought. "I think…yes, it's the only option. It's the _only way_." She then reached around, and hauled off the gigantic item strapped to her back.

And it was revealed to be…

"A _BAZOOKA_?" Ino's eyes were bugging out. This couldn't _possibly_ be happening. Not to her.

But it was.

She gripped the wild one's arm tightly. "You-You're not serious, are you? You can't use something like _that_ here! Guns are one thing, but-but that…" Her mouth opened and closed a couple times. There was nothing to describe the madness of this idea.

"Hey, you want him gone, right?" Ino nodded slowly, as the frame shook and groaned. "Well, this is the best way to do it. Midnight and Icy are too small to get the job done-Dorchet, on the other hand, will blow him clear to smithereens!" Ino paled. She was _**way**_ too happy about that idea…

"Hey. Don't worry, doll." She was smiling, and brushed a stray strand of hair away from Ino's blue orbs. "Everything'll be alright." Then she grinned. "Don't worry. _I'm_ a professional."

Ino felt her heart slow its hectic pace at these words. Somehow, she believed her. She really did. Everything would be alright. It would all be okay.

Or maybe, the pinkette was just really good at smooth talking.

"SAY YOUR PRAYERS, WIMP! YA-HA!"

'BOOM_**'**_

And, once again, Ino felt herself flying through the air. Again, she felt the arm around her waist. Again, she was looking up at the sky. This time though, they landed on solid ground.

"'Cough, cough, cough'…" All that surrounded the two girls was a humongous cloud of dirt and smoke. When it cleared, however…

"Oh. My. _God_." Ino couldn't believe what lay in front of her own two eyes.

Where the construction site used to be, there was now a crater-yes, a _crater_-that was at least seven feet deep, and almost as wide as her school campus. Nothing was left of the unfinished building-it must've been a site for a future mall-or of Daniel the demon. Ino was twitching.

"So! Did I blow 'em up, or did I _blow 'em up_?" She turned, slowly, to face the triumphant pinkette. "Who…just who the hell are you, anyway?" Ino felt as if she was melting into the very core of the Earth itself.

"Hee hee." The pinkette flashed her trusty grin, and the victory sign. "Haruno Sakura, Class C Demon Hunter! A.k.a., CHERRY BOMB!"

'WHUMP' "Uh…hello? Hey…blondie? You sick or somethin'?"

That was when Ino's world went black.

**A/N: So, yeah, this is Chapter two! Apparently, I did good enough in the first Ch. to gain some wonderful reviews (you know who you are-thank you so much!) so I got started right away on the introduction to Sakura! Hooray! Sorry if she's a bit nutty...it's supposed to be a romantic Yuri comedy, with some supernatural themes...I couldn't think of anything more mind boggling than a crazy looking savior with a bad-ass attitude-but half a brain.**

**Not that Sakura is meant to be stupid in this fic...she's just impulsive. **_**Really**_** impulsive. She never thinks before she acts. And even when she does...you know something big is about to go down-in this case, the 'strip' mall. And, of course, Daniel, my OC demon villain escapee from Hell. (Seriously, he's huge!) R.I.P., Danny-boy...anyways, yeah, I've completed Ch. three as well, but I need to finish Ch. four before I post it. I don't want to become lazy and slack off...never!**

**Anyways, yeah...oh, who can guess where the name for Sakura's trusty bazooka came from? Whoever can guess correctly will be honored at the beginning of Ch. four, where I will explain some of her weapon's history! Okay, that's all for now. Bye!**


	3. Stray, Go Away!

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-if any appear in this story. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Three: Stray, Go Away!

"Mmm…"

"…been out for fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, I dunno. I don't got a watch…"

_Wh…what the…who's talking…? That voice…its way too __**loud**__…_

"…and did you see the way that sucker went ka-BLAM! Oh my Dog, that was hella funny! Oh, oh, oh, and-your face! Oh man, priceless! I mean…"

_Huh?...Sucker? What? And 'Dog'? Do they mean...God? Why are they saying it backwards?_

Ino groaned, and shifted slightly. "…and what about my face?" She mumbled. She tried to roll over, and wound up receiving a sharp poke in the back. "Oww…where am I?" Her eyes began to open, slowly, adjusting to the light. Everything was orange…and blurry…had she gone blind?

Then, a dark shape loomed over her, leaning close. They were talking…this was the person with the loud vocals.

"Shut up, will you? Who the hell d'you think you are?" She blinked a couple of times. Her vision was returning…

"Who am I? Oh, just the person who saved your dainty ass from that Class B train wreck!" The speaker was obviously insulted by her earlier remark.

"…What? Saved my…ass?" At that moment, Ino's eyes fully adjusted, and she regained her senses.

She was on her back, in the dirt. It was sunset.

There was a girl, with green eyes, pink hair, and a humongous forehead, less than an inch away from her face.

And she was straddling Ino.

Her eyes widened at the stranger, so close to her and her…uhh…

The pinkette grinned. "Hey. Howzit hanging, sleeping beauty?" She waved a hand in greeting. The other was pressed into the ground, near Ino's head. She blushed. The stranger smelt good, surprisingly…like cherries, and…baby powder…?

Wait. A. Minute.

"_**WHAT THE HELL?" **_Ino shot up, colliding face first with the strange figure. They both shouted out in pain from the accidental blow, and the pinkette was swearing.

"Well, jeez, good-flipping-morning to you, too, _sunshine_!" She snarled. Ino could see it plainly-the girl's nose was bleeding. And then it all came back to her-the memories, of the events from before. Ino had almost died. She stared at her new companion.

"Haruno Sakura!" The other looked at her. "That's your name, right?"

"Feh! Duh, of course! Don't wear it out. I told it to you before you decided to take a nap right here." She waved an arm. "You know, I've been trying to wake you up for the past…I have no clue." She scratched her head, still holding her nose. "I meant to tell you, this isn't the best place for a snooze."

Ino's jaw was hanging. What the hell was this-_Haruno's_- problem?

"I WASN'T SLEEPING! I PASSED OUT! FAINTED!" She was on her feet, hands balled into tight fists. Ino was angry again. "You dumbass! You could've gotten us killed, or taken down the whole freaking block with that-that-that-_**that weapon of mass destruction!**_" She, of course, was referring to the bazooka.

"_Hey_!" Now Sakura was in her face. Ino took a step back, but kept her eyes locked with Haruno's. "Listen lady, there are many things that Haruno Sakura _**is**_, but one thing she _**isn't**_, is a dumbass!" She took a breath. "And as for any 'mass destructive weapons'…ohhh…wait a minute…do you mean _**Dorchet**_?" She was now grinning. Ino stared in amazement-it was all she could do. Did this chick have multiple personalities, or _what_?

"Aw, he ain't dangerous at all!" She patted the large shooter affectionately. It was re-strapped to her back. "Unless, you're the one he's aiming for!" She snorted with laughter, but winced as a glob of blood sprayed onto her fingers. She frowned. "Ahh…stupid shnozz won't stop dripping…"

"Your nose is bleeding." It was a statement. "Of course it won't stop. You have to plug it. Here," Ino reached into her knapsack, which was, astonishingly, still in one piece, and began searching for the pack of tissues she had received earlier, from Shinji.

"Uh? Where are they?" She was certain that she'd put them in there. Right after she'd finished getting cleaned up at the health room, she had placed them in one of the zippered outer compartments. The one with the silvery streaks across the front.

But they weren't there now.

"Augh! I give up!" Ino threw the bag onto her back. Today really wasn't her day…

"What'cha looking for?" Ino turned to her. Sakura had the expression of a puppy, curious about its master-or a baby, seeing the world for the first time. She had to admit-it was cute.

"Just a package of tissues, to stop the bleeding." Sakura blinked. "On my way to school this morning, I fell, and-this random kid helped me out. He gave them to me." She sighed. "He was really nice, for someone who lives in this city…"

"Hey." Ino glanced up. Sakura's innocent expression was replaced with one of such stone cold seriousness, that she had to wonder if it was the same girl. The look just seemed…so out of place, with her features…she should be smiling, or laughing…Ino blushed, and shook her head quickly. "Y-Yes?"

"What's your name?" It had never crossed Ino's mind, the entire time, to introduce herself. She thought about whether it was a good idea or not, before deciding to just go ahead and do it. Not like things could get much worse. Besides, the pinkette had given her name when Ino asked for it earlier…

"I-Ino. Yamanaka Ino." She suddenly felt very self conscious.

"Ino, huh?" Sakura leaned forward, and Ino looked away. She couldn't handle it this time-staring straight into those fearsome green eyes…they were both beautiful and terrifying. And when she was as serious as this, it was even worse. Although they'd only met today, it felt like a lifetime had passed…

Finally, Haruno spoke. "So, Pig."

The spell was broken. "Pig?" How dare she! Yamanaka Ino was _not_ a pig!

"I-I could say the same for you, billboard-brow!" Sakura's eye twitched. Her mouth opened. _Uh-oh…_Ino took a step back.

"I…am not…a…_**BILLBOARD-BROW**_!" Ino jumped about three feet. Sakura was officially scary!

"Alright, take it easy! I'm _sorry_! But you know, you started it!" Ino crossed her arms. "Calling me pig…I'm not a pig…"

"It's just my nickname for you. Sheesh. Like a codename." Haruno pouted. "Back home, everyone I knew had a nickname…mine is 'Cherry Bomb'. Or 'Sakura-chan', depending on who ya ask."

"But…but…why? Why _pig?_" Ino was whining now.

"Because…" and the pinkette grinned. "Pink is my favorite color. Pigs are pink. And you're cute like one."

Ino's heart did a leap into her throat. It was…it was…like a…a _pet name_! This complete stranger had just given her a pet name! She'd hadn't even really gone out with a guy yet, and this crazy girl had just given her a nickname of affection! Her face was flushed, from top to bottom.

"Anyways." Sakura turned to the road. "Pig, look across the street for me."

Ino was still in shock. "Huh?"

"Look-across-the-street-for-me." She was practically spelling it out, as if Ino were stupid. Ino glared at her. She sighed. "Just do it, Pig."

"Fine." Ino did. "Now what?"

"Tell me…what do you see?"

"Uh, people."

"Do you see the little girl?"

"Do I see a little girl?" What was this, a game of I Spy?

"Just answer me. Yes or no."

Now Ino sighed. "If you mean the one in the yellow dress, with the red rubber ball, then _yes_. I see her. Okay?" She tilted her head. "Happy now?"

"Yes, very." Haruno began to tap at her chin with her index finger.

"Why? What is it?" Ino didn't like where this was going…

"Pig…that little girl's _dead_."

'THUMP' Ino had fallen down, onto the hard cement. She was gaping up at Sakura, as if she were mad. She probably was, in all honesty. But _this_…this took the cake.

"No…no…no, she's not!" Ino laughed nervously. Sakura's expression didn't change. "I can see her, right there! She's as solid as anyone else!"

"To you and me, maybe. Watch." Reluctantly, Ino turned her head. And gasped.

The little girl was weaving in and out of the crowds that passed by-literally. No one noticed her, and she didn't seem to care. She just kept bouncing that red ball…

Then, the ball slipped from her grasp, and into the busy street. She ran after it, and managed to catch it, turning her head towards the traffic-and vanishing before Ino's saucer sized eyes.

"Car accident, probably. Just another soul stuck like a broken record in time." Haruno looked over at Ino. The blonde was shivering and sweating; her hands were gripping and clawing at the ground. She was trying not to break down right then and there. This…it was all too much.

"Pig. Look at me." Sakura was kneeling. She grabbed Ino's chin, and forced her to meet her gaze. Those green eyes were so hard…as if a sight like this didn't mean anything to her.

As if Ino's pain didn't mean anything to her.

She seemed to realize how her expression was affecting the trembling girl, and her emerald orbs softened. Ino relaxed-but just a little.

"You have the gift. The gift of sight beyond sight. Beyond second sight, even." She was smiling now. When she was gentle, like this…she was really pretty, Ino had to admit. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Be-Beyond second sight? Wh-what does that mean?" Ino felt so lost…the only thing that was real, was the warmth of Sakura's hand against her face.

"It means…you can see the living, the dead, the undead, the demons, and the converted. You name it, and it's there. You can see damn near everything. That kid you saw earlier this morning-he was one of them." She chuckled softly. "Why do you think the tissues are gone? You probably got a lot of funny looks from the crowd, too…"

Ino nodded. Now that she thought about it-she had. And she'd been wondering why. "It's only cuz they couldn't see him. They thought you were either really deformed, or a lunatic." She chuckled once again. Ino felt a bit cold…she'd thought that someone on this Earth had actually wanted to help her…and it turns out that they didn't even exist. She turned her focus back to Sakura, to block out the feeling of emptiness.

"And…oh, yeah, if you touch them, with intent…you can see inside of them."

Ino leaned back slightly. _Inside?_ "Their memories, I mean," Sakura added quickly. "Not their organs-that would just be gross." She stuck out her tongue.

"Oh…okay." There was a brief silence. "So…why are you here, Haruno?"

"Ehhh…" She rolled her eyes skywards. "Weeeeeell…as that _jack-off_ _**Daniel**_ happened to mention before I _**torched his ass**_," and she took a moment to grin with joy-Ino paled at this-"yes, I was banished from the other realm, my home, of Konohagakure."

Ino stared. "Wait, what? Back up-your home world has the same name as my city? No way."

"Yes, way!" Sakura raised her eyebrows. "There are many realms. Every realm watches over a particular area, and is named after said territory. Like Tokyo, and Los Angeles, and so on. Usually, we stick to just watching you guys from our home"-she pointed at the sky, "but if someone fucks up really bad, they get punished. And, eheh, well apparently, I _really_ fucked up." She scratched her head again. "They stuck me in the prison for a while and tried to figure out what to do with me. In the end, I got booted here. I guess it was pretty lucky that I showed up when I did, though…otherwise, you'd be lunchmeat, my dear."

Ino had to agree on that one…even if her methods of salvation weren't exactly _legal_, to say the least…"So…what are you, anyway? Are you…dead, too? Or like…an angel, or something? Can anyone else see you?"

Sakura threw back her head in laughter. Ino stared. Although the sound was nice, she had to ask…what now?

"Oh…oh man, ohh…you crack me up, Pig. Seriously." She poked Ino lightly in the forehead. "And ya give me a little too much credit. I mean, _**come on**_!" She threw out her arms. "Me? A tenshi? You gotta be freakin' kidding me!" She chuckled for a few more seconds. "But, I suppose I _could_ be considered a Guardian, of sorts. Nah, not really. I'm just a full on Demon Hunter!"

"Demon Hunter?"

"Yep! Sometimes, the scum of hell-" and she pointed down "-can get a little crazy, on all levels of existence. There are many different gateways. It's our job to keep 'em in line, prevent any escapes. And, in this world, your world, of Earth-something-or-other, there are a lot roaming _free_. Hoo boy-I thought we had it bad trying t'keep them from attacking and rampaging in our world! Can't believe there weren't any guards stationed here on an official schedule...extermination, anyone?" She smirked.

Seeing the look that was beginning to work its way upon the blonde's face, Sakura cleared her throat, and decided to provide some assurance instead of another bit of personal commentary. "Now, don't get me wrong," she put up her hands, as if under arrest, "there _are_ good demons out there. But, there are also _bad_ demons. So, we hunt them._ I_ hunt them." She seemed very pleased. "And, boy, do I love my job! Hee-hee. We help keep everything nice and pleasant." She clenched her fist.

"Sooo…are you dead, or alive, or undead, or…what?" Ino still wasn't sure what she was.

"Weeell, I'm a human-just on the other side of the looking glass!" Ino furrowed her brow. "What does that mean?"

"Basically, you're a normal human, and I'm an _ab_-normal human. Get it? Our world works a bit differently than yours, but yeah, I'm still considered a human. I haven't died yet. I just have some _weird_ abilities! A.k.a. my mad skills you saw earlier! And, yes, people can see me-but only if I _choose_ to be visible. You, however, can see me either way." She flashed another trademark grin.

"Right…" Ino looked to the sky. It was quite dark. She figured it must be close to 7:00 by now. She had no idea how long she'd been unconscious for. "Well, I gotta get going." She stood up, swaying slightly. Haruno stood up with her, and tried to help her balance.

"Where you running off to, Pig?" She sounded a bit sad.

"I have to go home. It's late, and I have school tomorrow. Plus, my mom"-she stopped short, remembering that her mother wouldn't care; she was at a dinner party, schmoozing with the shmucks, trying to get connections to the big bucks. If Ino didn't come home, she would probably never notice. But she wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. She turned to Haruno, who was waiting for her to finish her sentence. "Well…you know how mothers can get." She tried to smile.

"Alright." This didn't seem to bug Sakura at all. "Where do you live?"

"Why do you care?" Ino turned to head out of the neighborhood…the red light district got _really_ _**freaky**_ at night.

"Be-cause," she drawled out, as she ran to keep up with the blonde, "I'm moving in with you!"

Ino's legs almost gave out for a third time. She whirled around. "Are you _nuts_? Wait, don't answer that. The point is, you _**cannot**_ come home with me."

"And why not?" Haruno huffed. "If it's room you're worried about, I don't have a lot of things, and I can sleep on the couch. Or floor. Or, we _could_ share a bed…"

Ino's face turned as red as Sakura's shirt. Sharing…a bed…with _her_…the bipolar pinkette with a destruction fetish…and _her_…sharing a bed…_a_ _bed_…_**together**_…

The pinkette was confused by Ino's reaction, but continued grinning. Ino snapped.

"NO WAY!" She shoved her, and took off down the road. Looks like that fainting spell had been good for something after all-she'd gotten some of her strength back.

_Sheesh! She's absolutely bonkers, that one-I can't believe she'd be so brazen as to ask something like _**_that_**_!_ Ino's heart was pounding-and it wasn't just from the running.

That Haruno was just too bold for words. Asking to share a bed…it was unheard of! Absolutely ridiculous!

_**Why does this bother you so, though? **_Her stupid conscience had returned.

_What does it matter to you? _Ino was getting irritated…and her legs were starting to hurt again…why had she been forced to run so far away from home?

_**F.Y.I., that brilliant plan was your idea. Yours and yours alone. And what does it matter if Sakura were to share living space, much less a bed with you? You're both girls.**_

_Because!-_Ino was fumbling for the right words. She couldn't use her family as an excuse-her mother was barely home, and didn't pay much attention anyway. And, truthfully, there was enough room in her house for Haruno to be comfy.

_**Face it-you don't have a leg to stand on, stumpy. **_Ino growled. _**You know what I think it is? You're nervous. You're afraid of her.**_

_What? _Ino screeched to a halt at the crosswalk. _What the hell do I have to be afraid of? Sure, she's a little loony, but other than that…_

_**She's getting to you. More than anyone else. You can't stop wondering about her, even though she's only been in your life from today. You can't deny it. When she comes close, you tense up. You can't keep her away, like everyone else. For once, someone is interested in Ino. She wants to know about you. But you don't want to let her into your little haven, your world. You're too used to being alone-**_

"SHUT UP!" Ino screamed.

It took her a few seconds to register that she had yelled out loud, _not_ in her head. She glanced around quickly. The few people who had been waiting for the light to change were now glaring at her, as if she were something foul on the bottom of their shoes.

The crosswalk was now open, and the small crowd hurried across, except for Ino. She slumped down, in a heap on the ground. She felt absolutely _**awful**_… she wished that the Earth would just swallow her up, and she would never be seen again.

"Um…you know, I hate to say it, but I _don't_ think you can fly, Pig." Her head shot up.

Sakura was leaning against the post, arms folded, and looking down at her. A grin graced her face yet again, but this time, it seemed…a little sad. Ino chose to ignore her random greeting. "How'd you catch up to me?" Her blue eyes wavered.

"Let's just say…you're _special_." Her grin became a bit warmer. For some reason, Ino felt happier too, seeing this. But she didn't bother to analyze it this time around.

"Hey, Haruno…" Ino looked up at the strange girl. There was a question that she'd wanted to ask, for _so_ _very long_, but she'd kept putting it off. But now, in this moment, it seemed fitting to voice it.

The pinkette leaned down close. "Yeah? What is it, Pig?"

"It's just…I was wondering…"

"Uh-huh?"

"Why…did you name your guns?"

A long silence began, as Sakura tried to come up with a reason. After a few more awkward moments…

"I…I don't know, actually. Doesn't everyone?" Ino had no answer for this.

"To each his or her own, I suppose…" was all she could say finally.

**A/N: Whoo-Hoo! Chapter 3! Yeah! Thanks to all who reviewed-you know who you are, and you're awesome. Thanks for all the hits and favorites, as well. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter-a few more hints to the beginning of a wonderful Yuri relationship: pretty and psycho! Or something like that. Yeah...my fave parts, honestly, are the straddling, and the random ending. I've wanted to do that joke for so long, but I had no idea where to add it in...now I know! "And knowing is half the battle!" What? Who said that?**

**Uh, okay...I've completed Ch. 4, I'm just tying up a few loose ends. I have to get started on Ch. 5, too...oh, yeah-I forgot to give you hints as to the answer for the question I posed in the A/N of ch. 2: the origin of 'Dorchet's' name. Duh. I'm such a scatterbrain. Anyway, I'll give you 2 clues. Number 1.) It comes from an anime/manga. Number 2.) The title is listed on my profile page. Okay, that's all! But I've still decided: even if no one can guess where the name of 'Dorchet' comes from, I'm still going to do a group tribute to all my reviewers and subscribers of this story at the beginning of Ch. 4. Because you're just that cool. See ya soon!**


	4. Respect My Authority!

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-if any appear in this story. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**A/N: Hey, like I said before, here's the dedication to all my awesome reviewers/subscribers/favoriters (I know that's not a real word). Thanks for inspiring me to keep on truckin'. You are all made of epic win.**

**.Sakura0890: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! After receiving your 1st comment, I happened to look over ch. 1 again...and you're right, there is a similarity between VVV and this fanfic! VVV is one of my faves, but I didn't have it in mind when I wrote this...I wonder if it was subliminal, or unconscious? But, either way, it all works out. Thank you again!**

**.Lunarcycle: Another wonderful review! Yes, Ino seems to have a penchant for luring bad luck and baddies. And now Sakura's here...uh...I think it's going to be like that saying, 'things have to get worse before they can get better.' Probably, in this case, a whole lot worse. Eheh... but thanks for the input!**

**.DarkInu418: Woo-hoo, another awesome reviewer! And one who just happens to be a fan of a strong Sakura-chan...I will do my best to make sure that she'll be kicking ass, and taking names! Just like her name! CHERRY BOMB! Thanks for enjoying this lil' fic of mine...I do it all for you guys. :)**

**.Tori Hoshi: Yay! Another satisfied customer! I's doin' goood! Thank you for the review! They all mean a lot to me.**

**.Death Sword: 2 simple words that can make my heart leap out of my ears and back down my throat (sorry for the rather gross analogy)..."KEEP WRITING!" Your wish is my command. (Most of the time, anyway. I am but a mere mortal...certain things are beyond my reach.)**

**.Mirai No Dinurs: Another lovely review. Thank you for the praise...eheh...I'm starting to feel all fuzzy wuzzy inside...not used to so much appreciation...**

**.pigtopus: Thank you very much! I'm glad that this fic was able to keep you amused! That's what I'm aiming for!**

**.xFiReWoRx: I appreciate your feedback. I took into account what you said about the titles, so that's been fixed...didn't realize that the dashes would be taken away once the title was officially posted...but, oh well. Live and learn. I'm also still wondering about the whole BETA idea...usually I'm a grammar fascist. Are there mistakes that have somehow managed to sneak past me? At which parts, or in which chapters? Are they grammatical, or spelling related? Hmmm...I guess I'll have to re-check the first 3 chapters.**

**Uh...Yeah...Ino's giving me a little bit of trouble in the personality department...I'm trying to work on that, balance everything out. I want her and Sakura to have a love/hate sort of thing, that eventually becomes more pronounced in the love department. I like the banter between the 2 of them as well; just have a few kinks to untangle.**

**And, yeah, I did give away a lot of her past at once...but there are still other secrets hiding beneath the surface. Only time will tell. And as for the fanart...I do have a DA account, but nothing is posted on it. If anyone's interested, I could try to make some fanart for this fic...let me know if this appeals to any of you. Alright, thanks again for all your help and well wishes. I will do my best! Moo!**

**.kirbygirl13: I know you! You made some really good InoSaku fanfics! I feel so honored...Thanks for the review...yeah, I know. The story's a little loopy. This is the 2nd fanfiction I've ever written, but it's the first that I posted up here.**

**I'm going to admit something here-this fic was meant to be a tester. When the idea invaded my brain, I just wrote out the first ch., edited it a bit, and then posted it the next day. I figured no one would pay it much mind...boy, was I so totally wrong. But, yeah, that might be why it's a little...strange. Unlike my first story (I posted that one too), this one doesn't have a pile of chapters saved up, so it'll take longer to update. And I have to be really careful; make sure everything meshes together properly. I don't want plot holes, or a confused audience going "WTF? What just happened?"**

**Okay, then. And thank you again for the review! NOOO! Don't bring out Dorchet! lol. He's getting pretty catchy, isn't he...hmmm...**

**.Okami-Kisho: Yeah! Another reviewer fan! Thank you! Yeah, I've found **_**way**_** too many fics where Sakura doesn't get a whole lot of credit...or where they just totally bash her. I'm not into bashing. I'll poke fun at them, but I **_**never**_** support character hatred. Sakura is alright in my opinion, and...well, I'm just glad that everyone seems to be enjoying the way I portray her in here. 'Wipes away sweatdrop' Phew! And, yep, gay pride, all the way! That might be one reason why this is so much fun to write...heeheehee! 'thumbs up'**

**.totalnarutofangirl85: Whee! Another friend! Glad you're enjoying the story so far! That's my ultimate goal. And thanks for the nice review! Even if it's short, just to have someone say it's nice, and to update soon...it makes my heart so happy. 'cough' Whoops...a little too happy, I think. BLOOD! JK...sorry for the random grossout humor. But thank you again!**

**.Storm Front: You put my story on your favorites, so I thank you for that. I wouldn't mind hearing from you, though. I love feedback and interaction with the audience.**

**.tamago-don: Another mystery faver. Don't be afraid to say hi-I won't bite! (Sakura might, though. lol. JK)**

**.DyingBoredom:** **Yay! A subscriber! Woo-hoo! If you ever want to step in and say something, go right ahead! As I've said, many, many times before, feedback is wonderful.**

**.animekidd675: Another unknown subscriber. Thanks for adding me! Please stop by and leave a message, if you get a chance! Alright? I wouldn't mind knowing a bit about who you guys are. That's all.**

**.spzl: Last but not least, the final mystery person-another subscriber. Thanks for adding me to your alerts! Drop me a line sometime! Let me know if you're having fun with this fic. I love hearing from you guys.**

**...WHEW! And I think that's everyone and everything! Again, thank you all for reading my story and giving me so much love-you rock. Seriously. :D :P And now, I give you (FINALLY), Ch. 4! Let the curtains rise, and the show begin! Mwah!**

Chapter Four: Respect My Authority!

"I said _no_, Haruno!"

"But _whyyyyyy_?"

"Because, I don't want that-that _device_-anywhere near me, _especially_ when I'm asleep!"

"But _whyyyyyy_?"

Ino and Sakura stood, in Ino's bedroom, arguing over storage space. To put it simply, the pinkette wanted to leave her bazooka in Ino's room. But the girl was flat out refusing.

"That bloody thing is a _menace_! Look what it did to that construction lot! I _refuse_ to have it share the same room as me, lest it go off and turn me and my home sweet home into another crater!" She bit her lip. "I don't think it should even be in the house, to tell you the truth!"

"Awww, Pig, you're not being fair! Dorchet's _not_ dangerous! I thought I explained this to you already! And I only want him up here so he'll be safe!" Haruno's eyes were getting wider, with each word.

"Where-how the hell did you come up with that name, anyway?" Ino tried to avert her gaze. The pinkette was attempting puppy eyes…

"Cuz he's loyal! Just like a dog! Never let me down yet! Not once!" She was practically splitting her cheeks with that proud grin. "My pistols are pretty awesome, too…but they got their names because of their colors! Silver and black-Icy and Midnight!" She _really_ liked her weapons.

Maybe a little _too_ much…

"And what d'you mean, 'he'll be safe up here'? What about me? I won't be safe with him-_it_-up here!" Ino felt a vein in her forehead throb out of frustration. Sakura was beginning to rub off on her. And it hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet.

"'Course you will! No one'll mess with you when you got him around!" The pink-headed fighter flashed the thumbs-up sign. "Unless they have a death wish, or something!" She snorted.

"You know what? I don't give a crap anymore! Put it wherever you like! Put him on the moon, for all I care!" Ino threw up her hands in defeat. "I'm tired-I have school today-it's almost two a.m.-_I wanna go to sleep!" _With her point established, she flopped down onto her bed, and burrowed under the covers.

When she'd arrived at home, she'd had to first, find something to keep Haruno occupied. Then, she took a shower, bandaged her scrapes, threw her clothes in the wash, and stitched them up once they'd finished drying, and finally, completed her homework and fixed her alarm clock. She just wanted-no, _needed_ to crash for a few hours.

"Ahh…" she snuggled against her pillow. It was absolutely heavenly to her heavy head.

Suddenly, she felt a shuffling upon her bed. She opened one sleepy eye…

The pinkette was trying to crawl under the covers with her.

"WHO THE HECK TOLD YOU THAT WE WERE SHARING A BED? GET OUT-GO SLEEP ON THE COUCH!" Sakura had to duck to narrowly miss being hit by a flying slipper. "Okay, okay! Jeezum Crow! I'm outta here!"

"And keep your weird religious terms to yourself!" That's all she needed…to find Haruno performing some freaky comic-based 'rebirth' ritual or something like that, in her house.

"_Auugh…"_ Things were not going smoothly for Ino.

**...**

'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE'-

'SMACK'

"Bleagh…"

Slowly, Ino lifted her head. The sun was rising, its faint light peeking through her curtains. It was 6:45 on a Thursday morning…

…and she felt like death.

"Arrgh…" She swung her thin legs over the bed's edge. Her body ached, so much…stupid demon, making her run around Konoha, all the way to its darker places of entertainment.

_**Uh, again, that was your idea, sweetheart. **_Ah, lovely. Her conscience was awake, too.

She threw back a quick mental retort. _Yeah, yeah, can it. _She stood up and stretched, wincing as her muscles screamed in protest-she _swore_ she could hear them.

And then that completely psychotic, pink haired loony had butted in. True, she had saved Ino's bacon, but had almost blown up the entire downtown district in the process. As this realization came to mind, she paused, to glare at the bazooka, a.k.a. 'Dorchet', which was now leaning ever so innocently against the foot of her bed.

"Urrgh…" She gripped at the cold metal handle, and pushed. Her door opened with a 'creeak'. _Stupid hinges._ She began padding down the hall.

'YAWN' "Damn… the bandages are starting to come off…I gotta change 'em." _Lousy first-aid kits with non-sticking adhesive._

'TMP' 'TMP' 'TMP'

Ino was starting down the stairs. This was shaping up to be another bad day…her list of complaints just kept growing. And she still had to wake up billboard-brow-no way would she call her that to her face _ever_ again, though. That first and last encounter with her reaction to the term was enough to turn her hair from blonde to grey. She just hoped it didn't slip out _accidentally_, though. With the way her temper kept flaring up, it was a valid possibility.

"Yo, pinky, get up. It's morning." Ino's bare feet reached the cold wood of the parlor, and she gritted her teeth for a few moments. She had forgotten her slippers…one had been missing, though. From the night before, when she'd chucked it at her new 'companion's head. Ino hadn't the energy to remember to go looking for it before heading down the stairs.

"Hey." Ino did her best to ignore the thoughts of warm fabric enveloping her toes, and made her way over to the couch, where the pinkette supposedly lay. "I said get up. I have school again today, and I…I…I-I-I-I-I-I"- She couldn't believe her eyes. And couldn't stop stuttering.

Sakura was sprawled out across the couch, on her stomach, legs dangling over one armrest, her face buried in a throw pillow. But that wasn't what had gotten to Ino, turning her into a complete blathering idiot.

Sakura was wearing nothing but her underwear. And Ino couldn't look away.

A black bra and panties set, made of a shiny material-tight and formfitting, trimmed with pink lace. And the bottom half was very low cut… Ino hadn't seen undergarments like those before. _Except…_the thought caught on her tongue. She refused to acknowledge it. But it forced its way through.

_Except in those specialty stores._

"WAKE UP!" She found herself shrieking.

"Huh? Wuzzat? No, I didn't shake the apple tree!" Haruno's pink head shot up, her eyes bulging-apparently, she'd been in the middle of a dream. "Are we under attack?"

Then, she saw where she was. "Oh…" she turned her head slightly. She grinned when she noticed Ino. "Hey, Pig. Morning." She rolled over, and sat up to stretch.

"Oh, God!" Ino swung her hands in front of her face, to try and block the image. Sakura was confused. "Pig? What's going on?"

"P-Put some clothes on!" Ino was redder than a sunburned tomato-if that was even possible. "You-I-I can practically see your…your…"

"Eh? My what?" Sakura glanced down.

"Your boobs!" And with that, Ino fled back up the stairs.

"My…boobs? Boobs?" Haruno glanced down again. They _were_ kind of hanging out there. The front of her bra somewhat resembled a corset. She chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Boobs." She snorted. "I gots 'em."

She stood up. "And there's nothing wrong with 'em!" She bent to touch her toes.

"YES THERE IS!" Ino was probably sitting at the top of the stairs. The pinkette heard a few more footsteps, before the bedroom door slammed shut. She raised an eyebrow.

"What's her problem? She's acting as if she's never seen a female body before…" She pondered this for a moment. "Doesn't she have mirrors in her room?" Another pause. "Hmm…Sakura wishes to find out." She began her trek up the staircase.

**...**

"Jesus Harold Christ on a _fucking_ rubber crutch! Is this happening to me?"

Ino was panting, her back pressed against the door. What the hell was wrong with that bubble-headed loudmouth downstairs? Did she have no sense of common decency?

"I mean, honestly!" She pulled off her pajama top, and walked over to her closet. "What in God's name is wrong with her? Who sleeps in underwear like _that_?" She shivered, as the recent image surfaced once again in her mind's eye. The tight material…the pink lace…the way it had hugged her slender figure…how did a girl so close to her age have such a fit body?

'Sniff' "Uh?" Ino felt something wet dripping down to her lips. She brushed at it with her thumb.

It was blood.

"Crap." Ino kicked off her sleepwear bottoms, revealing pale pink panties with a tiny white star pattern. She opened her closet door, and fished her skirt and tops out from the many tangled hangers. She rushed to her drawers, and pulled out a white bra. A simple, white bra, with a hint of matching lace, and a tiny bow in the center. Nothing wrong with that.

She had just finished slipping it on and hooking the back, when suddenly, she heard a 'creeeeak…'

"Oi, Pig, what's got your panties in a bunch? You never seen a…" The pinkette trailed off.

Ino stood, in the middle of her room, nose bleeding, in _her_ underwear. She held her skirt in her hands.

The two were frozen, in absolute silence, staring at each other. Ino's brain was near to short circuiting, as the other girl appeared to be studying her. _Studying her_. Her _and_ her body.

_Wow…why was Pig so freaked out? She's got boobs, too…bigger than mine, I __think. _Sakura blinked. _Nice legs. _She failed to notice that a trail of warm blood was beginning to make it's way down from _her_ nose, as she continued watching the petrified blond...

"Uh…" Haruno finally spoke. "I like your undies?"

'WHAM' "_Get out! Get out!_" Ino was swinging her fists in a blind fury, and Sakura was doing all she could to avoid being slugged. "Hey! Whoa! Take it easy!"

"Get out, and _stay_ out, you, you-_you peeping tom_!" And with that said, Ino slammed the door on the pinkette's foot.

"_YOWCH_! SON OF A BLUE BALLED _BITCH_!" She hopped down the hall. "And you think _I'm_ bonkers!" She cursed again.

"And my name's not Tom!"

**...**

'PLUNK'

Sakura stared at the plate in front of her. A flat yellow eye was looking up at her. She turned to Ino. "What is this?"

"It's an egg. Cooked sunny-side up." Ino was still fuming over the earlier encounter. Haruno had made a mental note to keep all of her appendages away from any and all doors when the Pig was around.

"An egg?" She tilted her head. "You eat eggs here? Ooh…pricey." She picked up her fork. "What kind is it? Salamander? Ostrich? Turtle? Fox?"

"First of all, ew! And secondly, foxes don't lay eggs!" Sakura's eyes widened. Wait'll she repeated this to that blond knucklehead! He'd snort his noodles up his nose, and outta his ears! After all, it was one thing if a single person said it. But now, she had a second opinion to add. She couldn't wait to go home again!

That is, if she was ever _allowed_ to return home. She pushed the oncoming wave of homesickness out of her thoughts.

"Then what kinda egg is it?" She poked at the yolk, and it began to spill onto the plate. She pulled a piece off of the edge and ate it. "Hm! Whatever it is, not bad!"

"Oh, for the love of…" There was no way her Konoha was the same as Ino's. "It's a chicken egg."

The fork froze, halfway to the pinkette's mouth, with another serving hanging off. "Chicken?" Her voice was low. "Did you say 'chicken'?" The words seemed forced.

"Yes, chicken. Why? What's the matter?" Call it crazy, but Ino was actually feeling a bit of concern rising in her gut. What if this wacko was allergic to chicken or something?

"M-m-m-m-HENRIETTA!" Ino leapt out of her chair. "Why, why? Why did Henrietta hafta go to the food farm? Why couldn't they have all stayed? That was the field trip from effing_ hell_!" She was practically sobbing into her plate.

"Uhh…alrighty, then." Ino took the plate away. Apparently, this chick had some _major_ hang-ups.

"Hey." Haruno was tugging at her sleeve. Her eyes were dry. "Why are you taking away the plate?"

"Because it upset you." Ino was confused.

"What? No, I'm fine! Set it back down-I'm hungry, woman!" She pounded her fist against the placemat.

"Fine!" Ino dropped the plate in front of her. The girl resumed eating, with gusto.

It was going to be a long day.

**...**

"Why can't I come with you?"

"Because you can't!"

"But why?"

"Well, for one thing, you can't show up at a school looking like _that_! Plus, you're not even a student!"

"I'll become one!"

"You won't be able to fill out the paperwork! You need parents to fill in some of it, too!"

"Then I'll just stay invisible! What's wrong with that?"

"_I don't want you hanging around me!"_

Ino was on her way to school, and the persistent pinkette was following close behind. She didn't seem to get the hint that Ino needed some time alone. To herself. As in, _without her_!

"Come on, Pig! It'll be alright!" Haruno leaned over. "I won't use any of my weapons, if that's what you're worried about!"

"No! God, just go away!"

"Sorry, no can do!"

This was a first. Ino stopped walking. "What do you mean, 'no can do'?"

Sakura stepped in front of her. She stretched her arms behind her head. "As in, 'no can do'! We're bonded now!" She stuck out her tongue.

"B-Bonded?" That didn't sound good…

Sakura leaned over. There was a twinkle in her eye. She was so close their noses were almost touching. "You have something I need. That sight of yours." She flicked Ino's ear. The blond scowled. "Hey-don't make that face-it doesn't suit you at all. Besides, what'll you do if another demon attacks? They'll be drawn to you, cuz of those baby blues. And trust me," she added, stepping back, "there are worse bastards out and about. _Worse_ than Daniel."

"No way! How could there be anything more horrible than him?" Ino groaned. Yep-she really was a bad luck charm.

"Don't worry! Since we're together now"-Ino flinched-"I'll protect you!" She grinned. "Think of it as if…oh! As if we were married! The husband always protects the wife!" Ino's jaw hit the ground then.

_What kind of comparison is __**that**__? M-M-M-Married? To her? Being married, in general? __**To her?**__ SHE DOESN'T EVEN WEAR PROPER NIGHT CLOTHES!_

"So, it's all settled then! I'll hang around, completely hidden to everyone! Like a ninja!" She glanced at Ino. "Eh? Pig? Piiig? What's the matter with you?" Ino was turning really, really, really red…

She pressed a hand against Ino's forehead. "You alive in there?"

'THWHACK'

"OWW! What did I do now?"

Yes, it was going to be an _excruciatingly _long day…

**Extra A/N: ...I have absolutely **_**no**_** idea where half of this stuff came from. Seriously. If I have offended anyone and their mothers, cousins, uncles, monkeys uncles, brains, or chickens, with this particular chapter...I'm sorry. Truly, truly, **_**truly sorry. **_**And, no, I DO NOT have an underwear fetish...I just like descriptions. And corsets. And ribbons. And lace. And cute patterns. That is all. Alright, I'm done. Laters.**


	5. Miss Mayhem

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-if any appear in this story. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**A/N: Hey, it's me again! Since I have FINALLY finished chapter six of C BH A! (halleluiah! I think I misspelled it), I decided to do another shout-out to all my AMAZING reviewers/favers/subscribers of this fic! The numbers have grown since the last time I posted! Although this one won't be divided into specific dedications/messages, I still love, absolutely LOVE, all of you. Don't ever forget that. Thank you so much! Arigato gozaimasu! Here you go!**

**Sakura0890, Lunarcycle, DarkInu418, Tori Hoshi, Death Sword, Mirai No Dinurs, pigtopus, xFiReWoRkx, kirbygirl13, Storm Front, tamago-don, spzl, Okami-Kisho, totalnarutofangirl85, Dying Boredom, animekidd675, chelein, my heart is an icebox, Dream Shadower, starfirej23, Dak, Pad Paw, and KiraFox. Much love and thanks to all of you! Drop me a line too, if possible-I like interacting with you all. You're more than just an audience-you're my friends. Thanks so very, VERY much for all the encouragement! And, just to clarify, in case you're a bit confused-yes, this **_**is**_** a romantic InoxSaku pairing. It just doesn't seem that way at first. 'smiles' :)**

**Okay! And now, for your (hopefully) viewing pleasure, I present to you...CHAPTER 5! MEEP!**

Chapter Five: Miss Mayhem

"…thus, resulting in the chaos that was Second Act, Scene Four. Now, if you'll turn your attention to the Annotations on page twenty-three, you will notice…"

_Bleah. _Ino was struggling to keep her head up. Her English teacher was so _boring_! God-the woman made Ben Stein look like a cheerleader on Prozac with a sugar high! And Lunch was still over forty minutes away.

It didn't help how late she'd gone to bed this morning, either. Stupid pinkette. It was all her fault.

Speaking of which…where was she?

Ino frowned slightly, but couldn't bring herself to rustle up enough energy to actually look for her. Maybe she'd finally decided to just go the hell away…

"Pig! Hey, Pig! Wake up, damn it!"

Fat chance she'd ever get _that_ lucky. Slowly, she focused her eyes in the direction of Haruno's shrill vocals.

"OhmyGod! Sakura! What the hell?" Ino had to physically restrain herself; the sight before her…

The pinkette was right next to her teacher, poking at her head. _Poking at her teacher's head. _It didn't matter if no one could see or hear her-she could still be felt!

Sakura was grumbling. "…where's the off button on this old bag?"

"Haruno! Don't!" The teacher raised an eyebrow-something was brushing at her ear, and then the top of her head…she had returned her focus to the lesson when suddenly, she felt something tapping at her neck. She whirled around. Nobody was there.

Ino was having conniptions. _Jesus Christ, Sakura! You're gonna give the woman a heart attack! _But of course she couldn't voice this thought-already she was receiving strange glances from a few neighboring students, as they noticed her hands gripping tightly at the desk, and her eyes bugging out. Was Yamanaka going to be sick, or something?

'PROD' "What on Earth?" Her teacher jumped forward. The pinkette had just poked her, rather roughly, in the small of her back. The woman was beginning to become a little flustered.

"_Sheesh_, an English teacher? You're _shittin'_ me. I could teach this class better than you, _any_ day of the week…keep the kids awake, too…" she continued on with her mindless-emphasis on the 'mindless', in Ino's opinion-grumbling, and the blond _swore_ she'd heard her mutter something about a blowtorch, and…the Macarena?

"'Snicker'. Hey, Pig. Check _this_ out." 'CLATTER' And in one swift motion, she had both of the woman's arms above her head, curving down to touch the top. She looked like a weird modern art statue! The textbook lay forgotten on the floor, as the woman screamed. All the students were murmuring and shifting in their seats-had the old bat finally snapped? There were rumors floating around that she'd been teaching at the high school for close to thirty-five years.

"Oh my goodness!" Although she was their teacher, though, that didn't necessarily mean that they had to help her out. Besides, this was far more entertaining to follow.

"Sheesh…" Ino was torn between a desire to burst out laughing, and to throttle Sakura in front of the whole class-reputation and sanity be damned. Instead, she took a deep breath, and slammed a fist onto her desk, as hard as possible. It hurt, but at least it caught the attention of the necessary so-and-so's.

"Wha-wha-what is it, Yamanaka?" the instructor gasped.

"_May I use the bathroom? I need to go to the bathroom!" _Whoops. She hadn't meant to sound _that_ enthusiastic-they were just toilets and sinks in a single room. She sounded as if it was her life's mission, all of a sudden, to take a piss in the school lavatory. And this was only meant as an excuse to get out of class!

The teacher-as well as the rest of the students, though Haruno could care less-stared in stunned silence for a few moments, before an "O-Okay" had managed to squeak past her lips. Ino strode across the room, glaring at Sakura as she did so. The pink haired one merely shrugged, before relinquishing her grip on the now terrified woman. She followed the blond out the door and down the hall.

It wasn't until Ino had crammed them into a stall that all _hell_ broke loose.

"_What the fuck were you trying to pull?" _Her eyes said it all-she was one step away from tearing Sakura apart. The pinkette just blinked.

"I was bored."

'SLAM'

Sakura was backed against the stall door. Ino had both hands pressed into the door on either side of her head. Her face was so close to Haruno's…their noses were touching. The pink one felt an unfamiliar heat creep into her cheeks, as well as a strange rush in the pit of her stomach. Ah, probably just surprise. Nobody-well, almost nobody-would even try to attempt anything close to threatening when it came to her…mainly because she'd wipe the floor with them before their threat was finished. Although, she had to admit, it was a nice change. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and waited for the Pig to resume ranting.

"Next time you try a stunt like that, I swear I will blow you to kingdom come with your own weapons! Got that, billboard-brow?" Yes-Ino was _that_ steamed. She had forgotten her earlier self made promise to avoid mentioning that particular moniker ever again. Panting, she was completely oblivious to the glare that _she_ now received. The pinkette grabbed her arms, and shoved her. Ino buckled slightly-she was bent back a ways, just narrowly missing the toilet bowl as she looked up at Haruno. She blushed slightly-Sakura was very overpowering.

"You should be thanking me-I just rescued you from an eternity of torture with that old fart! All I do for you, and all I get is your bitching in return!"

"We only met yesterday!"

"I still saved your life!"

"So what? I don't need your help, nor do I want it! Just _go away!"_ Her frenzied breaths grazed Sakura's pale skin, and a strange scent tickled her nose. She frowned. "Hey. Pig."

The other girl's eyes narrowed. "What now?"

"Your mouth smells…"

'WHAM' Ino stalked out of the restroom. She was going to go _insane!_ Haruno was going to drive her into the loony bin-or an early grave. Either way…

"And what the hell? I brushed my teeth this morning! Stupid, thickheaded pink haired alien…" Her angry footsteps echoed down the hall.

"Holy Jabberwocky Jabberjaw…that girl throws a mean punch." Haruno was splashing water upon her face-her jaw was beginning to bruise. If anyone had stepped into the room at that moment, they would have heard a running sink, and seen water droplets and streams spraying over nothing in midair. A rather unsettling sight.

"All I was going to say was that it smelled _nice…"_ The blonde's breath and lips had sparked an old memory in the pinkette, one that she had kept buried for years. The spiciness of mints…and the sticky, juicy tang of peaches. She had been wearing flavored lip balm, apparently. The sharp sweetness…such an unusual combination, but it had made her, for just a moment, stare straight into Ino's baby blues. Such a shock.

She'd seen her reflection in them. Distorted, watery, ice cold-just like the blond.

But…there was something else hiding there, too…she'd seen it a few times before. Just a few. Like that moment which had just transpired between the two girls.

Something broken. Something beautiful. Something strong. Then, she had opened her mouth-and received a sock to the jaw. Owww.

"Sheesh…some people just can't take a compliment at all…" Her mind had moved on-for the time being. The mystery behind Ino-Pig would have to wait. She exited the lavatory.

**...**

"Hey, did y'all hear what happened to Levi?"

It was lunchtime, once again, and Ino was staring off into space. The troublemaking pinkette lay above her in a tree, hair hanging, legs dangling, on her back. Ino furrowed her brow.

She didn't need to listen to dog-breath's rant about the English teacher completely flipping her lid in the middle of class-she'd been there! She sighed, and rolled her eyes. This caught Kiba's attention.

"Hey, Bubbles, you got a problem with my story?"

She sent him a tired glare. "Oh, please. I actually saw what went down-I have that class. So I just don't care to hear a second-no, thirdhand account of all the gory details. Really, it wasn't that crazy." She fiddled with her bangs. Kiba was sulking.

"Oh, right; this coming from the nitwit who scared the living daylights out of half the students, just to ask if she could head to the toilets." Shika had joined the bickering duo, a steaming bowl of soup in his hands. He plunked it down on the tabletop. Ino's face flushed; Kiba's face broke into a sadistic grin.

"Not that crazy, huh? You got the piss scared out of you! Ah ha ha hah!" Kiba was rolling with laughter at the thought of Ino's predicament. Ino made a fist. Although that wasn't the reason she had run out-she should know-it still irritated her to no end to have the mutt enjoying a joke at her expense. She stood up, and got ready to take a swing. Haruno perked up from her upper post.

"Hey, whoa! Easy, Ino." Shika grabbed her wrist with one hand. Ino struggled. How could the lazy-ass be so strong…he was sitting, too! With a huff, she finally gave up, and plopped back down on the bench.

"You know, pineapple, this is actually your fault, now that I think about it. If you hadn't opened your smart aleck mouth, flea ass wouldn't be so happy! I should be punching you." Her eyes narrowed.

"Dummy…whatever. I don't care about any of this. Do what you like. You're too troublesome to keep track of." He put his head down.

Ino bit her lip at this statement, all desires of confrontation gone. She was…troublesome? Yes, she was. Somehow, it hurt more than usual…a combination of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, perhaps?

"Eh? Pig? Hey, what's wrong?" The blond didn't answer. Sakura looked at her companion's downcast expression with worry. She'd been fine a minute ago…

"_You're too troublesome to keep track of…" _Sakura glared daggers at the lazy genius.

Friend of Ino's or not, no one was going to call her troublesome. Only her, Haruno Sakura. The Pig was _her_ charge, _her_ responsibility to protect. From everyone and everything, if necessary, no matter how much flack blondie gave her afterwards. _No one_ was allowed to mess with her. And now, she was going to make that point crystal clear.

Since Ino wasn't paying attention, the pinkette leapt out of the tree, and made her way over to the resting boy.

"Hmmm…what should I do to you, spiky? Hm hm hmmm…" She thought for a few moments, sticking out her tongue and tilting her head.

"Ah! I know! This'll get ya! Getcha good! Hee hee!" She reached into a side pocket on her gun holster-it had pockets, go figure-and pulled out a small bottle.

"'666% TORCH UR ASS FLAMING HOT Sauce!' Perfect!" Sakura always did have a preference towards the spicy side of life. This seasoning was absolutely brilliant for pranks.

But damn if dopey here wasn't asking for it.

Carefully, she popped off the cap, and began to pour the substance into his bowl. Luckily, no one was looking this way. Dog butt had wandered off to the snack line, while everyone else was too caught up in themselves. And Ino was…still depressed. Haruno gritted her teeth.

_Pig, this one's for you._

The soup below her began to bubble, in reaction to the power of the spices contained in the liquid. Her eyes widened. _Excellent. This should be enough…no one can resist this! Even the most laid-back person out there is gonna be crying for mommy!_

She re-capped the bottle, and after a few more moments, the bubbling and gurgling subsided. She grinned, and returned to the tree, leaning forward on her stomach. She couldn't wait for the show to start…it was going to be good. She rested her chin against her fists, elbows scraping the bark.

"…Unngh? What?" Shika's head slowly rose. Ino glanced at him.

"…thought I heard something. Oh, well." He turned his attention to the soup on the table. "Huh…should be cool by now." He picked up the spoon, and shoveled a big serving into his mouth. Sakura had to bite her tongue to keep from exploding into laughter; she would have surely fallen from the tree and cracked her head.

All was quiet…

…for about five seconds.

"…urk. Oh, _SHIT!_" Shika shot up, and Ino leapt back to avoid being trampled. He was going absolutely psycho!

"_HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! FUCKING HOT!" _His face was changing to almost every shade on the color wheel-from red to purple into green and blue, with a hint of orange! And his eyes…were bigger than baseballs! He was hopping up and down, clutching his throat and cursing.

Ino was paralyzed with shock and confusion. She had no clue to what was transpiring here-or what she should do about it. Many of the other tables had gathered around to watch-it wasn't everyday that the 'lazy genius' was active, and throwing a fit, no less! Murmurs and chatters ran rampant through the growing crowd.

"Oh, man…Shika looks like his head's about to blow!"

"I knew it-he's too smart for his own good! All that knowledge is finally getting to him!"

"Ha! That's what he gets. Sloth bastard."

"Wow…I wish I had my camera…"

"Damn…he can dance."

"Maybe…it's like what happened to Levi earlier?"

"Oh my GOD-it's an epidemic! An outbreak!"

"Shut up, Mayumi! Paranoid freak! You watch too much garbage!"

"Yeah! You're just as bad as your brother!"

"Hey! Shiro's worse! Did you hear about yesterday…"

As the random chatter continued on, in tune with Shika's bizarre 'chicken dance', as someone so appropriately titled it, Ino heard a rustling above her, followed by an eruption of-

"BWAHAHAHA! OHMYGOD! PRICELESS! AHAHA! Frickin' epic! Man, I didn't know it would work _this_ well!" Sakura was leaning against the tree, doubled up in chuckles, chortles, snickers, guffaws, and everything in between.

Ino glared with pure venom. She should have known it was all _her_ doing. The powerful stare went unnoticed by the pinkette. Ino stomped over, forgetting about appearances, as she grabbed Haruno's wrist and dragged her away, through the bushes, along the side.

They were now at the back of the school. Sakura was still laughing as if there was no tomorrow.

"Alright, billboard." That shut her up. "Spill it. _Now._ _What did you do?_"

"Jeez…nothing much. Just seasoned his food a little…it looked so bland."

Ino's eyes were narrowed into slits. "Yeah, right. Your concern for his taste buds is _absolutely _overwhelming_._ _What_ did you put in his bowl?"

Sakura mumbled an answer, staring at a dirt pile on the ground.

"Speak up! I can't understand you!" _Now_ the pinkette chose to clam up?

"...'mutter' 'mumble'..." Ino was ready to spill some blood. "What the hell did you"-

"HOT SAUCE!" The sudden outburst nearly blew poor Ino away. Her ears were ringing. Haruno was grinning. "There. Happy now?"

'WHUMP' Ino had tackled her. The two girls were on the ground, Ino gripping Sakura's shoulders, and Sakura simply staring up wide-eyed. Who knew the blond could be so…so…gutsy? She was really enjoying it. And Ino had been so reserved before-perhaps her personality was rubbing off on the girl? She grinned again.

"What the hell are you smiling about!" Ino bared her teeth in a snarl. This just made the pinkette's grin grow wider. Finally, Ino was letting herself go…what was hidden behind those icy blue eyes was slowly, beginning to seep through.

"Pig…you're really adorable when you're all dominating like this. You should try it more often." She stuck out her tongue.

"Eh?" And suddenly, the realization of the exact situation crashed down all around her.

She was straddling Haruno.

In the dirt.

In the back of the school.

And they were all alone.

Once again, the meek persona took over, and Ino shot to her feet, as if she'd just been electrocuted. Sakura cocked her head, as she rose from the ground, dusting herself off.

"And, if you really wish to know what my intentions were in pulling this little stunt…" Ino's eyes bugged out. Had the pinkette just spoke a cohesive sentence, without any slang or cuss words? She waited for her to finish.

"…I just didn't care for the look on your face, after pineapple-head opened his smartass mouth. No one is allowed to poke fun at you. Except me." She smiled, like a cocky tomcat.

Ino felt the heat consuming her cheeks. Was…had she…did Haruno just say that she…had meant to defend her? What was the world coming to?

She quickly shook her head, blond ponytail swinging to and fro. "Th-that's no excuse! I don't care! You can't hurt m-my-my friend!" Her heart was pounding. She felt like a cornered rabbit…and Sakura was the hungry wolf.

"Oh, it's the greatest excuse." She leaned over, flicking Ino's long bangs that fell over her right eye. "And besides…" the whisper sent chills down Ino's spine. What was she planning to do?

"…you have to admit, it was funny." And with that, the pinkette pulled back.

Ino now felt as if she'd been hit in the head with a mallet, like the character in one of those old cartoons. She stared at Haruno, as if she'd grown a second head. Who knows-she just might.

After a few moments of deep thought…

"… 'snort'… 'snicker'…"

"Ah hahaha! Ha ha ha hahaha!" The pinkette grinned. She had done it-Ino was laughing. Finally…

"Told ya, Pig. Seriously, that guy needs to lighten up. So, I took that duty upon myself." She patted Ino's shoulder.

Yes, Ino had been beaten. She was laughing-it was true. Shikamaru's freak out had been a once in a lifetime occurrence-and it was all thanks to the psychotically inclined pinkette.

_But still…_she tried to catch her breath.

"You…you may have…gotten me…to laugh…at your stupidity…" Sakura frowned. She wasn't stupid! That idea was totally genius! "…but I…still don't like you."

Sakura sighed, throwing her hands up. "And here I thought we'd made some progress. Same old Pig."

Ino straightened up. "You barely know me! What do you mean-'same old Pig'?"

'PERK' "Huh?" Ino could feel it-a pair of eyes boring into her lower back. There was someone else here…and they were watching them.

"You sense it too, huh Pig? You're sharper than I thought." Haruno's voice had taken on that same hard edge from the night before…the one that startled Ino…though she didn't care to acknowledge this fact.

"Turn around." Ino did so.

What she saw before her…

**A/N: MUWAHAHAHAHA! The evil cliffy! LOL. Sorry, I apologize. I shouldn't be rubbing it in. After all, you guys have been waiting so patiently for me to update-I'm going to get started ASAP on chapter seven, so I can try to upload ch. six sooner. Okay?**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this update-it was...interesting, to say the least, when I was writing and editing it. I also must apologize for the Shika torture in this chapter-in all honesty, I love the guy. He kind of...reminds me of me. (Not the smart part, the sleepy smartass part.) LOL. I just wanted to...wake him up a bit. If it didn't turn out as funny as I hoped it would (or as funny as I thought it was), I apologize, once again.**

**But yeah...Ino and Sakura's relationship is progressing a bit, at least! Although Ino should REALLY learn to control her temper...while Saku needs to learn how to THINK, before she speaks. Or acts. But, at least the feelings are developing between Pig and billboard-brow! LOL. I love those nicknames. Though I'd hate it if someone called me a billboard-brow...oh, and BTW, I've gotten a request from one of my lovely readers to do some fanart for this fic, and I've now completed and uploaded one picture to DA. My user name: alchemistkira6. Here's the link: **h t t p : / / a l c h e m i s t k i r a 6 . d e v i a n t a r t . c o m / a r t / f a n f i c - f a n a r t 1 - 1 0 2 9 1 6 9 4 3** (take out all the spaces...whew). I was wondering if there were any other ideas out there? I'm willing to do any style-comic, full length, chibi, color, black and white, deformed, genre-just nothing explicit. If anyone else has a request, just mention it in a review, and I'll see what I can do!**

**Alrighty, I'm going to let you guys go now. Hopefully, I will see you all again soon with a new update, and new art! Take care!**


	6. On Patrol

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-Shinji, Hikari, Mieko and the father. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**A/N: Okay, before we start this update, here's the dedication list. My love goes out to all of you. :)**

**xFireWorx, kirbygirl13, Storm Front, LaughingDeath77, My heart is an icebox, Okami-Kisho, Death Sword, KiraFox, totalnarutofangirl85, Lunarcycle, kamooi-of-black-fireglow, DarkInu418, Sakura0890, yoru-chan20, pigtopus, starfirej23, MoMo5801, Tori Hoshi, tamago-don, Mirai No Dinurs, spzl, Dak, Alex2026, Bluerose41, DyingBoredom, animekidd675, Pad Paw, chelein, dreamfall07, Freiya, love in cold blood, and todraw. I hope I remembered everyone...again, thanks and love to all of you.**

**I should probably warn you before we begin, this chapter is a bit...darker, than the first five. Know that the content contained in this chapter was not meant to offend anyone-I know that there are many other fanfics out there that use serious issues as petty inaccurate angst brewers-there will be none of that here. I did my best to keep it as believable as possible. 'sigh' Okay, let's begin.**

Chapter Six: On Patrol

"What…the…?"

There, under the shade of a tall tree, stood a little girl. Her tiny hands were gripping the trunk as if for dear life. Ino continued to stare.

The child had amber eyes, peeking out from under a mop of dark chocolate colored hair. It fell past her shoulders, stopping somewhere near her elbows or upper waist. She was dressed in a deep violet sweater and an off-white skirt, speckled with stains every few spaces. Her knees were covered in bandages, and her feet were bare, save for a pair of socks. As Ino absorbed every detail of the mysterious child, she noted that she appeared to be trembling.

'CLICK' 'SHOVE' "Hey! What are you"-

"Stay back, Pig. This could be trouble."

Sakura had pushed the shocked blond behind her and now faced the child, with a pistol drawn. It was silver…Icy? Was that the name?

"You are in the presence of a Demon Hunter! Haruno Sakura, C-Class, Of the Konohagakure Realm! State your business!" Ino realized, at that moment, just how seriously Sakura took her job. It was kind of reassuring, actually.

"Eep!" The child ducked behind the tree trunk at the sound of the pinkette's commanding tone, and the appearance of the gun. Ino sighed. _But apparently, she has no clue as to how kids should be handled…_

"You oaf!" Ino shoved the gun's tip down. Haruno stared. "You're scaring her!"

"_I'm_ scaring _her_? She could be a Demon in disguise, for all you know! You wanna get killed?"

"If she were a Demon, couldn't she have just eaten us already? It's not like anyone would hear us out here! And, if I recall from my experience with Daniel, hungry Demons are not the most patient or crafty of creatures!" Ino took a deep breath. Sakura continued to stare. "What?"

"You know…I never thought about that." The blonde face palmed. "I usually just shoot, and they don't come back. You think she might be trying to ask somethin'?"

"Uh, yeah. The look on her face? She was about to cry!" Ino headed for the tree. "Let's just hope you didn't completely chase her away…"

"Gee, I never would've thought that you'd take such an interest in the business, Pig." The pinkette tried to keep the mocking tones out of her voice.

"Well…" she searched for the right answer. "…if this is what I have to do, then…I'll do it. I may as well be of use to someone…even if they're dead." She finished with a bitter smile.

"But you are useful! What about your friends?" Ino wasn't listening. Haruno shrugged it off for the time being. "Whatever." They had reached the tree. Cautiously, Ino peeked around the trunk. "Hellooo…?"

'sniff' 'hic' The child was sitting on the ground, hunched over, with her knees drawn up close. She was crying. "Hey…what's the matter?" She looked up. She didn't react to Ino, but when she saw Sakura, she squealed. "No! Don't hurt me!"

"Haruno!" She whirled around, glaring. She still had her gun out. "Put that thing away!"

"Fine. Sheesh. Party-pooper…" Ino turned her focus back to the little girl. "Are you okay? What's the matter?"

"So…so you _can_ see me?" She rubbed her nose on the edge of her sleeve.

"Yeah, we can." Ino tilted her head. "What's your name?"

The child blinked. "…Hikari. Are you…" the child paused, to tuck a lock of hair behind her ears. "…Y-Yamanaka Ino?"

The blonde paled. Sakura stiffened.

"How…how do you know me?"

"Because…" she wiped her nose again, "…of my brother."

"And…who's he?"

"'sniffle'…Shinji. Otori Shinji."

Ino's blue orbs went wide, and her blood ran cold. This little girl…knew Shinji, the boy who'd helped her the day before. And he was a ghost…she was a ghost…and…they were related...

"So what?" Sakura was getting bored. No guns, no conflict, just a whole bunch of jibber-jabber, in her opinion. She pushed her way around Ino's crouched form, and leaned over, hands on hips, staring impatiently at the female specter. "What the hell you want us for? 'Cuz I don't do none of that 'go into the light, set you free' kind of crap! You need those kind of services, go find one o' those quacky psycho-psychics!"

"Haruno!" The child was trembling again. After pointedly shoving her partner aside, Ino took a deep breath. "And…what about your brother?"

"'sniff' He's…he's…He's in terrible danger! You gotta help him!"

"Danger?" The blond was confused. Not to be rude, but how could a dead person be in danger? She didn't voice this thought, however.

"What kind of danger?" Haruno brushed a clump of dirt from her short pink locks, and returned her attention to the ghost child.

"What? Sakura, this doesn't"- Ino began, but the pinkette cut her off. "Go on, runt. This is starting to sound kinda interesting now. Explain."

"It's…it's because of my father."

"Your father?" Ino tilted her head.

"Yeah…he hurt him, when we were alive…and now, he's hurting him again…" the tiny child began to sniffle and sob once more. Ino felt a sharp pang in her heart. Dead or not, all she wanted to do at that moment was hold Hikari in her arms. And yet, she was confused. A father that hurt them in life…and now in death? How was that possible?

"Hey. Pig." She looked up. Sakura was leaning against the tree. "Yeah?"

"Remember what I told you yesterday." The blond frowned. She had said a lot yesterday…

"About your sight. And your touch." Ino's eyes widened.

_'And…oh, yeah, if you touch them, with intent…you can see inside of them.'_ Of course. If she were to reach out to her…she might be able to get a better view of what was going on exactly. But she'd have to be careful…she didn't want to scare her any more than she already was.

She took a deep breath. "Hikari?"

"Yeah? 'sniff'"

"I need to ask you something." The child nodded. "Would it be okay…if I were to…hold you?" The girl blinked. "Hold me? Wh-why?"

"Because…I think we can help you, but first, I need to check something. And this is the only way to do so." Ino looked at Haruno. "It won't hurt her, right?"

"Nope. Nothing'll happen to her…just you, Pig. So brace yourself." She clicked her tongue. Ino turned back to Hikari. "So…is it okay?" The child tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, before nodding. Ino gulped.

"Okay…here goes nothing." With trembling arms, she reached out, and slowly pulled Hikari into a gentle embrace.

_Please…just let me see…what she's seen. Help me to help her…_The girl shivered. Ino bit her lip. Would it work?

Suddenly…

'VWOOM' "Aah!" A rush of energy hit Ino straight on. Her head flew back. "What…the hell…?" Everything was swirling around her, in a rainbow of colors and images.

Then, everything went black.

**...**

'_CRASH'_

"…_ughh…huh…?"_

_Ino blinked, as her ears perked up at the startling sound. She sat up. She was on a cold, wooden floor. It was rather dark-it appeared to be sunset, and the lights were out._

_But where was this place?_

'_SMASH' "You stupid bitch!" She jumped. That voice…it sounded so...vicious. She brought an arm around herself, to calm her shakes, as she stood up._

_She was in a hallway. There were a few pictures hanging from the wall, including one of a woman holding two children. Ino took a closer look._

_The woman had dark brown hair that framed her face, curling under at the tips, grazing her shoulders. Her eyes were a golden hue, and she was smiling, as were the two kids at her sides and front. Ino recognized the two children at once. She ran her fingers over the glass slowly._

"_Shinji…and Hikari…" Her hand stopped at the edge of the image._

"_AUGH!" 'WHAM' Ino's attention turned to her left, where a doorway stood. Now, there was light, but it was an eerie light, cast upon the wall. She could see a large shadow, shuffling to the corner, where it merged with the darkness. She took a few steps forward._

'_KRNCH' She looked down. Under her shoes…glass. Many bits and pieces of broken glass and china. It seemed…that someone had been very angry when they had traveled through this hallway-the glass came from other picture frames, as well as a couple of cups, and the china from plates. She could just make out the faintest design of bluebirds._

'_WHUMP' "You little shit! How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!" That voice again…it chilled Ino to her core. It was so venomous and evil. She gulped, but continued walking forward, gingerly, until she had passed through the doorframe. What she saw…_

_Ino gasped, quickly swinging a hand over her mouth. The scene that lay before her was terrifying._

_A large man, portly around the middle and below but muscular in the arms, was leaning over a small child. His hands were bloody, as he glared at the pitiful crumpled form beneath him, as if it were nothing more than a piece of garbage. Against the furthest wall, a woman lay huddled, cradling another child to her chest. She was sobbing softly. Ino's head was spinning, and it took all of her self-control not to vomit right then and there._

_The child on the floor was Shinji._

_And he was dead._

"_You little wretch! I take care of you, keep you in my house, and this is how you repay me?" The man wobbled slightly. "Should've just gotten rid of you when I had the chance." He lifted his head. "You hear that, Mieko? I should've pushed you down those fuckin' steps, instead of letting these lil' shits take over my life!" He turned away, heading towards another corner._

_Ino noticed, for the first time, that this was a kitchen-which appeared to have gone through a hurricane. The table was toppled over, and the chairs were lopsided and broken. Various bits of wood and utensils lay scattered across the now blood stained tile floor. The air reeked of blood as well, along with liquor. Mieko continued sniffling._

"_I'm sorry babies, I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry…" She continued whispering these words over and over again. Then, slowly, she stood up, placing the bundle in her arms gently upon the floor. With a painful pang, Ino realized that the bundle was the lifeless body of Hikari, and even from where she stood, the drying blood was evident. The child was caked in it, as was her mother._

_What Ino witnessed next would haunt her for the next few weeks._

_Mieko bent down, and picked up something off the ground. As she quietly made her way over to the man, who was still rummaging through the fridge, the object gleamed in the half-light for just a moment._

_It was a large knife._

_Carefully, Mieko raised up her arms, the weapon poised to strike above her head-_

'_THNK'_

'_SPLURTCH'_

"_AAAGGH!"_

"AAAHHHHH!"

**...**

"…Pig…Pig! Pig! Wake up! Hey! Snap out of it!"

Sakura was frantic. Her piggy pal seemed to be suffering from a nightmare-it was a bad vision. The pinkette had been afraid of this. Of all the ghosts she could've peered into, she had to have this one as her first.

"I-Ino! Miss Ino!" Hikari's amber eyes were widening, tears glistening, and they threatened to spill over. Had she hurt her possible savior? Haruno sighed as she took in the sight-she may not have been good with kids, but she still didn't care to see them cry, dead or alive. She ran a hand through her short pink locks, as she undid the clasp on her side pocket, and pulled out the tiny bottle once more. "I don't want to do this, Pig…but ya leave me no choice." She uncapped the vial, and carefully held it out. "Hikari?"

"Y-yes, Miss Sakura?"

"Step back. Now." The child decided it was best not to question this wild woman-she'd already had a gun pulled on her a few minutes back. Nodding, she shakily stepped back a decent distance. Once she was out of range, Haruno proceeded to hold the bottle directly underneath the blonds' delicate nose. "Okay Pig, just breathe deep…"

As Ino's mind struggled to return to the conscious world, a foul odor suddenly invaded her nostrils. No-it was more than foul! It was-

"WAAUGH!" Ino's blue eyes shot open, and she bolted up, her head directly colliding with the pinkette's. Hikari squealed at the sound. Amazingly, Sakura managed to not spill a single drop of the potent substance.

"…AUGH! Jeez, what the hell?" Ino was panting heavily, while Sakura was recapping the bottle. Pained as she was, the blond managed to turn her head. "Haruno…get rid of that vile...vial already! If you wanted me awake…well, you could've thought of something else!"

"No I couldn't!" Ino blinked a few times, as she tried to collect her thoughts.

She was on the grass-apparently, she had fallen over after reaching out to the ghost child. Both Sakura and Hikari were now staring at her, worry and fear evident in the child's eyes-as well as the pinkette's.

Ino's heart skipped a beat.

"So, are you back now, Pig?" Sakura rubbed her forehead, before reaching out and placing her palm against Ino's sweating brow. This time, she didn't recoil from the touch.

"Eh? What the-hey!" Ino suddenly leaned into her, collapsing against the other's chest. Sakura felt a heat creep into her cheeks-she hoped she wasn't getting sick. This was the second time it had happened today.

Still, she had to admit…having the blond crumpled against her was an...interesting sensation, to say the least. The blond smelt nice, too. And she was rather light, and soft. She hadn't had many people this close to her in her lifetime.

_**Physically and emotionally…**_

"Ah!" The pinkette's blush deepened when she felt Ino's thin arms wrap around her waist. Her heart was starting to pound. What in the name of Jupiter was going on here?

"H…He killed you…didn't he?"

That single line, broken as it was, caught and brought Haruno's attention back to the present pressing matters. Ino was staring at Hikari, and Sakura noticed-were those tears in her baby blues?

"Y-yes." The child's head hung down, as if ashamed of this fact. Ino released her hold upon Haruno-and just for a brief moment, she could have sworn she felt a sense of loss.

"Hikari." The child looked up, to see Ino reaching towards her, arm outstretched, in calling. Although shocked, the child proceeded to step forwards, until she was right in front of the two living females.

"I'm…I'm sorry," she croaked out finally, and attempted to look away. "I hurt you, Miss Ino"-

"No. You did no such thing." The child's head shot up. Her amber eyes were wide in surprise.

"_He_ hurt you. He hurt all three of you. You didn't do anything wrong." Ino's orbs, watery as they were, reflected a compassion and determination that warmed Sakura's heart-though she did her best to deny it. "You and Shinji and your mother deserved none of this. Mark my words, I will save you both." She looked up at the pinkette. "_We'll_ save them both." She smiled, a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Right?"

Haruno was dumbstruck for a few moments. It appeared that the blond wasn't as cowardly as she'd first pegged her for. A huge grin appeared on her face. "You got it, Pig." She turned her attention to Hikari. "Alright runt, give us the details. Where we gotta go, what we need to do, the works." The child nodded, and began rattling everything off. Ino couldn't help but notice how much…warmer, her energy seemed to have become. She really was happy that someone was going to help and save them.

_Well, of course. I can't just let abuse like this go unpunished! _In her mind's eye, Ino saw herself clench a fist. Her conscience snickered. _**Well, well, it appears you have more guts than I gave you credit for. Although your common sense leaves something to be desired…**_

_Eh? _Ino blinked, as she stood up. The bell was going to ring soon.

_**One word: Daniel.**_

Ino gulped. She'd completely forgotten about her last encounter with the supernatural…

But as she cast her gaze over at the ghost child, who was staring in awe at Sakura's pistols-but from a safe distance-she felt a surge of energy rush through her. She had made a promise. And she wasn't about to change her mind. This child had gone through hell on Earth, worse than Ino had realized was possible. Her and her brother. Their mother had done the best she could for them…but in the end, fate hadn't been so kind._ I can't back out now. Not after seeing all that. Shinji was so caring to me as well…I owe it to him, at least, to take a shot at this._

_Even if I have no idea what's in store for us…_

Her conscience shrugged. _**Whatever. Your funeral, sweets. **_It disappeared back into the corners of her mind. Haruno bounded over, as Hikari faded away, slipping through the fence.

"Alright! We have a case!" The pinkette pumped her fist. Ino brushed a strand of blond hair out of her eyes, and took a deep breath. Her anxious nerves had returned…"Okay. What are we doing? And when?"

Sakura grinned. "Tonight. At the Everlasting Peace cemetery."

'BRIIIIING'

**A/N: Alright, chapter six. Apologies for the long wait-I'm having EXTREME Writer's Block right now. I made doubly sure to go over all of the details in this update, and correct any bloopers or flaws. If anything did manage to slip past me though, please let me know. I am rather worried about the unveiling of Shinji and Hikari's pasts, however...I do not support child abuse, or ANY abuse in general. AT ALL. And it's depressing to think that there are actual cases out there that are similar to this, if not possibly worse. That's why I was paranoid-I made certain that the majority of the few humor sequences had only Ino-Saku action. I believe the only comedy bits with Hikari would be the hot sauce resuscitation bit, and the ending scene where she admires Saku's pistols-from a safe distance. But yeah...I was wary while typing. Feedback would be nice. **

**Okay, in the next chapter, Sakura and Ino receive their first official mission: Save Shinji! Now they must enter hell on Earth, and come face to face with the demonic father figure. Will Ino's nerves fail her? Will Sakura's weapons be enough? Will Shinji and Hikari finally be freed? Will Mieko finally find some peace and solace despite the death of her babies? Tune in next time...we shall see. If I can ever finish the bloody thing. Plus, I'm sick right now, thanks to my stupid brother-he gave me his cold. BLEAGH. **

**I might just start another InoxSaku/SakuxIno fanfic, as an apology or something...alright. Sorry for the long notes. And, before I forget...HAPPY THANKSGIVING, ONE AND ALL. :D **


	7. Sins Of The Father

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-Shinji, Hikari, Mieko and the father. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**A/N: WEWT! Finally, chapter 7 is here! And once again, it's dedication time! Here you go! kirbygirl13, MistressDeidara, lunarcycle, Heart-san, Okami-Kisho, Freiya, pigtopus, Aimi-san, DarkInu418, Death Sword, xFireworx, random-randomize, Sakura0890, totalnarutofangirl85, Tori Hoshi, AponiRainbow, Storm Front, kamooi-of-black-fireglow, Alex2026, Dak, MoMo5801, starfirej23, tamago-don, LaughingDeath77, KiraFox, Mirai No Dinurs, love in cold blood, spzl, Bluerose41, DyingBoredom, animekidd675, Pad Paw, chelein, todraw, and dreamfall07! Whew! Thanks to all of you! Now...let's go!**

Chapter Seven: Sins of the Father

'WHOOO…'

'Achoo'! 'Sniff' "Jeez…tell me, why am I out here again?"

It was a little after 7:00 pm, and Ino stood in front of the towering gates of the Everlasting Peace cemetery. She was rather shaky at the moment, and it wasn't just nerves. To reach their destination, Sakura had come up with the brilliant idea of 'roof jumping'. And she'd dragged Ino along with her. The blond could only shut her eyes and grip at the pinkette's waist for dear life, hoping and praying that they'd land in one piece. At least she'd been wearing pants this time.

Speaking of which…

Ino turned to her left, where Haruno stood. She was twirling a pistol in her hand, wind blowing through her short pink locks, a completely blank expression on her face. For a girl close to her age, she had guts. Ino would give her that.

Then again…Sakura was not exactly the brightest crayon in the box. Ino had seen that first hand.

'TUG' The blond glanced down. Hikari, the tiny female specter, was pulling lightly at her sweater. Ino had to smile. Terrified as she was, she couldn't deny her feelings towards the girl and her brother. She owed it to Shinji, at least.

_Besides…he sent Hikari to find me personally. That must mean…that he has some sort of faith in me, right? _A rather strong gust of wind blew, and Ino shivered, wrapping her arms around her shoulders tightly. The setting sun was casting ever stretching shadows upon the ground, as the fading light streamed through the trees. They resembled gnarled fingers, reaching out to grab the ankles of unsuspecting prey who dared wander in their territory…

"Yo! Pig!" Haruno's loud voice snapped Ino from her morbid daydreams. The pinkette came up next to her. "It's now or never. Time to get 'er done!" Ino could only nod. She took a deep breath.

_Well…here goes nothing._

'CREEAK' Sakura pushed the rusty metal gates, and slowly, they swung open. The group of 3 proceeded to step inside.

**…**

"Dang…this place is huge!"

Ino's eyes were wide as she proceeded to take in the scenery around her. Small tombstones, large ones, elaborate designs-all were present, and all were warping, under the light of the sunset. Ino gulped, as they passed a statue of a formidable looking angel with a sword.

"Oi, runt. How much farther?" Sakura's sharp tone broke the silence, as she stared down at the small child next to her. Ino noticed that, once again, she was trembling.

"J-just a bit more." Hikari clamped her hands together tightly, and inhaled deeply. Not to breathe-to settle her nerves.

The blond shuffled up a bit closer to the child. "Hey. You alright?" Amber eyes traveled up to meet blue. "Y-yeah. I am. Just…I'm worried about Shinji…" her gaze fell to focus on the ground once again. Ino couldn't even begin to imagine what the girl was going through…then again, she was dead. But still...being worried for loved ones was universal and existed on all planes of existence.

"H-here. This is it." Ino stopped in her tracks and gazed at the sight in front of her. A set of small tombstones, simple and made of granite. No fancy adornments, no flowers-just the basic info engraved on each. These were the final resting places of Shinji and Hikari.

Ino began to walk forward. As she did so however, Sakura stiffened where she stood. That feeling-the air was distinctly cooler, and yet-it seemed out of place. And the scent…this section reeked of sulfur and rotting flesh.

That was when she saw the tombstones shimmer-just for a moment, they warped.

And Sakura's eyes widened.

"Ino! Get back!" With a few frenzied steps, the pinkette grabbed a hold of her wrist, and yanked her forcefully. Ino squealed, as her back bumped into Haruno's chest. The 2 girls were pressed flush up against each other, spine to breasts and everything else. Involuntarily, both parties blushed.

_Ino! Snap out of it! _She quickly shook her head, and craned her head to look at the pinkette, scowl present. "What was that for?"

"Can't you feel it?" The blonde blinked. "Feel what?"

"Yo. Tiny." Sakura jerked her head in Hikari's direction. "There's a barrier in place, isn't there?" The child gulped, before nodding.

"Thought so. Ino, anyone whose got vision, or can simply engage with demons and the like will get sucked through if they so much as brush against that thing." She gasped, blue eyes widening. "It's a gateway-apparently, the prick is smarter than I first thought. It's the entrance to his own personal Hell."

"I-I see…" Ino was shaking now. Haruno noticed this. Without hesitation, she wrapped her other arm around the girl's shoulders. The heat returned to the blonde's face once more. Sakura was being so…kind, all of a sudden-not nearly as brash or rude as usual. She hadn't even called her 'Pig' the last couple of times.

Then again…she'd only known the female for a day and a half-maybe this was common. At this, she felt a distinct pang in her heart. She shoved it aside. Her nerves were getting to her.

"Alright. If we're going to save the kid's brother, we're going to have to enter the portal. But as a group-which means, everyone stick together. Anything's possible once inside." She looked down at the blonde in her arms, eyes filled with fear. They warmed at the sight of Sakura's own determined orbs. She nodded. "Alright. But Sakura…can I ask a favor?"

"Uh? Okay. But make it quick."

"Could…you let go of my wrist?"

"Oh!" The pinkette shot back, dropping her arm from the other female's shoulders as she released her wrist. "S-sorry about that!" Why was she so flustered all of a sudden? She'd just forgotten to release her grip, that's all.

But…why had she forgotten?

"Okay. Hikari, stay close to Ino-pig. Ino-pig, stay close to me. And I…will stay close to the armory." She patted the gun holster hanging from her waist, as well as 'Dorchet', who was hanging from the usual spot on her back. Ino rolled her eyes.

_Well…so much for a difference. Same old loony. _She took a deep breath before nodding. Hikari nodded as well, and came closer to Ino. Her tiny hand slipped into the blonde's, and she bit her lip at how cold it was. The child was trembling as well.

"Alright, looks like we're all set." The pinkette cocked her head. "Well then…" she pointed forward, "let's go kick some ass!" Ino reached out to bonk her in the head. "Oww! What?"

"I-I don't know." She really had no idea what else to say-the action hadn't been planned on her part in the first place. An unexpected giggle slipped forth from Hikari's mouth. Somehow, Ino felt just a bit lighter, even though Sakura was currently rubbing her head with a pout in place.

"'Kay." They took the few steps, until they stood about a foot away from the twin grave markers.

"Well, this is it." Ino gulped.

"Zero bullshit, gentlemen!" And before Ino could reply to this bizarre battle cry, Sakura grabbed her arm, and dragged her through the entryway.

**…**

'VWOOSH'

"Yaah!" Ino felt as if she were on fire! The heat was almost overpowering! And that stench-it took all of her self-control to not puke. Her head was spinning, and her legs felt ready to give out.

_Christ on a…pogo-stick…_ she thought, _is this-is this what Hell is like? Must be…_

'WHUMP' As suddenly as the free fall had started, it ended. Ino's knees and palms were against a flat surface. She took a few seconds to catch her breath, before quickly yanking her hands up. The ground was ice cold; bone-chilling to the touch. All around her was swirling darkness; and every so often, she would hear a creak or a thump. She stood up, and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. It was so cold…

"Hikari? Are you there?" Her voice was shaking. At this point she couldn't tell her fear from the chills-they were both messing with her body and mind equally.

"I-I'm here." Ino felt a gentle tug on the bottom of her sweater. Reaching down, she felt the familiar long locks of the small child. She began to stroke them absentmindedly, and Hikari's grip tightened.

'FWOOSH' Suddenly, the pit was filled with blinding light. Sakura was holding up a lighter. She looked at Ino and grinned sheepishly. "What? It comes in handy…and I liked the design." Scrawled along the front were the words "I swear to DRUNK I'm not GOD."

Ino could care less about Sakura's drunken humor fetish, or even the fact that the lighter's flame was more powerful than most. She was terrified. "I-is this Hell?" she managed to squeak out. She looked to her left.

"Nope. This ain't even close to Hell, Ino-piggy. This is just a shell-a 'personal' hell, but not Hell itself." The blonde gulped. A personal hell sounded bad enough…but there was worse out there than this?

With the glare from the flame, Ino could now properly survey her surroundings. And what she saw wasn't pretty.

The walls and ceiling resembled that of a cave; dank and jagged, but upon closer inspection, they were revealed to be made of decaying plaster. The ground was rotting wood, which was where the creaking seemed to be emanating from. And there was broken glass scattered along the entire area. Every few steps, more glass. In order to make their way across, Ino had to carry Hikari-the poor child's feet were bare, save for her socks. Apparently, the dead could still feel pain, in particular circumstances.

"Jeez…this place smells, too." Sakura rolled her eyes, as Ino wrinkled her nose. "This is a division of Hell, Pig. What did you expect it to smell like? Flowers and sausages?"

"N-no! And what kind of reference is that? Who on Earth would want to smell a deli?" Hikari whimpered, burying her face in the blonde's collarbone.

"I'm gonna take a stab here. Considering the smell, and the broken glass-colored, I might add-that your dad was an alcoholic, among other things. Am I right, runt?" The pinkette placed a hand on her hip. Hikari merely nodded.

"I see…" Sakura seemed to be deep in thought. Ino merely tightened her grip upon the ghost-child. She had witnessed Hikari's father's alcoholic rage first hand…for some reason Ino felt a strange mixture of relief and loathing wrapping around her heart. Her father had been a drunk too-but he'd never been violent. He was just never home. Ino felt thankful at being spared from a similar fate, but she also hated how she was so safe, and sheltered…she would never fully understand, even with her 'sight'. Could she really help these siblings?

_Wait-among other things?_ Ino looked back up at Haruno, a confused expression on her face.

As if reading her mind, the pinkette crossed her arms. "He was raised to believe that he was entitled to mindless devotion. That was his definition of love. Check it out." She pointed, and Ino walked over to a dusty corner. There, a few pieces of broken and rusting jewelry lay, as well as some kitchen utensils.

"…this place is even worse than I first pegged it for." Seeing Haruno so serious and calculating was a new experience for the blonde. She watched as Sakura ran a hand over the grimy walls, frowning. "This guy's gotta be a class B, at least. Hmm…"

Ino was about to ask what a 'class B' meant, when a piercing scream shattered the silence. Ino couldn't help it-she jerked up, and Hikari squealed. Sakura pulled out a pistol. "Shit!"

"T-that's-that's Shinji! He's hurting him!" The tiny child broke into frenzied sobs, at the thought of her brother in pain. Ino bit her tongue. Sakura glanced over at the pair. "Pig."

"Y-yeah?" She hoped her voice didn't reveal exactly how fearful she was at the moment.

"Are you ready?" It was a simple three word statement that meant so much. Ino took a deep breath, as she glanced down at Hikari. The child was staring up at her, amber eyes wide and cheeks teary. The blonde knew she couldn't back out now. No matter how frightened she was, she had made a promise, and she would never forgive herself if she turned tail and ran. She returned her gaze to Haruno.

"Yes…I'm ready. Let's go."

With that, she made her way next to Sakura, and the trio began the long trek down the winding tunnels, coming ever closer to their target.

**….**

"Ow! Shoot!"

The females were still traveling down the dark pathways, though they were nearing their destination. Every so often, a scream would ring through the air, and the more ground they covered, the louder they became. Ino could feel the boards shake beneath her trembling legs.

At this moment, she was still holding Hikari, and had almost lost her balance when the wooden ground beneath her cracked. She had reached out to the wall, attempting to support herself. Instead, her palm had scraped against something jagged.

"Pig? What happened?" The pinkette watched warily, as Ino pulled her foot from the broken boards, and made her way safely around the indentation. Hikari gripped at her neck, hiding her face.

The blonde shook her head. "Nothing. It's nothing. I just-I was just clumsy. It's nothing, really"-

"Your hand. Show it to me." Haruno's eyes were hard, like green diamonds. Ino gulped-this chick was sharp. Slowly, she extended her arm.

"Hmm…" The wound wasn't too deep, but it was bleeding. It was probably contaminated as well, and could be used as a possible manipulator-this was a division of Hell, after all. She couldn't risk the demon using Ino as a tool.

"Give me a minute, Pig." The blonde blinked. "A minute? What are you"-

But she was cut off, as Sakura suddenly brought her hand against her lips, and began to suck up the blood.

"Yaah! You psycho-what are you doing?" Hikari squealed, as Ino flailed about, desperately trying to shake off the pinkette. She was even crazier that she thought! "You freaking Vampire!" Haruno did not release her grip. If anything, it tightened.

'P-TOO' Sakura locked eyes with Ino, whose face had gone pale. She watched as the pinkette wiped the last traces of blood from her lips.

"You dumb blonde. You were infected. This is a demon's hideout. Had I not drained the contaminated blood, you would have been completely under his control." She reached to the side, and pulled out from yet another pocket on her holster, a roll of gauze and a rubber band. "Here. Give me your hand again. And no thrashing this time, please. I kinda like my face the way it is." Nodding, Ino did as she was asked.

Once the wound was covered, they turned their attention back to the task at hand. As they continued on their way, Ino couldn't help but notice that Sakura had wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders, and on occasion would pull her quite close while walking. After a few instances of this, Ino cast an exasperated glance at the pinkette. Sakura spoke without hesitation.

"You keep wandering over the weakest boards. Last thing I need is for you to fall through again." Ino glowered at her. "I didn't fall through."

"Well, you could have. And I ain't risking that." Somehow, hearing Haruno say that she wouldn't allow Ino to end up in a sticky situation made her stomach swell with the sensation of a butterfly swarm, tickling her heart.

'CRASH' "Yeep!" Ino jumped, and Sakura's grip upon her tightened. "Keep your voice down, Pig. I think we're here." The blonde nodded.

"Listen to me very, very carefully. When we come in contact with the demon, you stay out of the way. He'll most likely go for you two-Hikari because she's his relation, and you 'cuz of your sight. If I need anything from you, I'll yell across, and you yell back. But don't get directly involved. Your first priority is to protect Hikari. Got that?"

Ino was about to nod, but paused. "Wait-how do I protect her? I can't fight!"

"Here." Haruno reached into her holster, and pulled her other pistol. She held it out to the blonde. "Take it." Ino winced, as her delicate fingers closed around the heavy cool metal. "If that human bottle tries to take a swipe at either of you, use Midnight. Just aim and pull the trigger. But try not to waste my bullets, eh?" The pinkette cast her a cocky grin.

Ino wrinkled her nose, but nodded. "Since when did you become a Canadian?"

Sakura chuckled. "That's the spirit. We'll be outta here in no time." She turned her attention to the turn in the corridor, just a few feet away. "'Sigh'…well, time to gird our loins."

Slowly, they took the last couple of steps down the tunnel. Ino's heart was hammering in her chest, and it seemed as if with every step, the creaking of the boards grew louder. She felt sweat trail along her jaw line. Hikari whimpered, "I hope we aren't too late…"

"Don't worry." Ino attempted a smile. "We'll save him." As terrified as she was, she had to appear strong, if only for Hikari's sake. This was more than a mission, it was a promise. Breaking it was impossible by this point. All Ino could do was wing it. Her grasp upon the black gun tightened.

As they rounded the corner, they would be coming face to face…with absolution.

**A/N: Hey, everybody! Welcome to chapter 7 of 'C BH A!' I'm SO SORRY that the updates are all screwy-I've been having a BAD case of Writer's Block. It affected a handful of my other fics as well! But, at long last, I have persevered, and completed updates for all five of them! Yep-if you like this story, try checking out my new fic, 'TLC: To Love Chaos'. It's another InoxSaku, SakuxIno, and it's a humor/romance too. Only the rating and cast of characters has changed-other faces are included. And...it's different. it was created partially as an apology to everyone who follows this fic; I'm really, REALLY sorry about the updates and long waits! Forgive me...please? **

**Okay, next chapter: showdown between the trio and the father from Hell! Who will win? Will salvation be obtained? Well, you'll just have to see...alright. Hope you enjoyed this update, although it is shorter than usual (by about a page or two. Uhh...). Okay, later!**


	8. Don't Choke: Showdown

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-Shinji, Hikari, Mieko and the father. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**On with the regular thank yous. Boy, has the list grown since the last time...kirbygirl13, DarkInu418, Death Sword, MistressDeidara, xFireworx, Sage DarkTalon, Aimi-san, Tori Hoshi, Okami-Kisho, Storm Front, Heart-san, pigtopus, totalnarutofangirl85, Lunarcycle, Sakura0890, KiraFox, LaughingDeath77, SnowyDragon15, Freiya, random-randomize, MoMo5801, cocnuy, starfirej23, love in cold blood, AponiRainbow, tamago-don, angel-chan666-KAWAII, Yumi 'Ippiki-Ookami' Shonen, spzl, DreamShadower, Dak, Alex2026, DyingBoredom, yoru-chan20, Bluerose41, Mirai No Dinurs, Pad Paw, animekidd675, chelein, dreamfall07, and todraw. WHEW. A million appreciations to all. Now-on with the action.**

Chapter Eight: Don't Choke: Showdown

"Shinji!"

The high pitched cry slipped from Hikari's lips, as she rushed forward. Ino took in a deep breath, following her. Sakura narrowed her eyes, walking towards the farthest corner.

They were now in a dingy, ill-lighted room. Cobwebs and chains hung from the ceiling, and a couple of torches were attached to the walls. There was a toppled table on one side, while a plain wooden chair lay on the other. Strapped into the seat was none other than Otori Shinji.

"Shinji…" Hikari was trying not to sob, as her brown orbs gazed upon her brother's unconscious form. His head was drooped, and his eyes were shut. He was covered in bruises and blood. Ino had to swallow sharply-the sight was almost too much for her to bear.

_Who could do this? Honestly-who could ever want to hurt an innocent child? _It made no sense in her mind.

"Uhh…" her attention was brought back to the limp figure before her. Shinji was stirring. Hikari let out a small squeal, as she reached out to swing her arms around his neck. "Shinji-kun! You're okay!" Ino had to smile at this-seeing Hikari happy made her heart swell with pride. They were in time to save him.

"Hi…Hika-ri…" he groaned, head lifting slightly. His eyes fluttered open to meet her gaze-

'THUMP' "Ah!" Ino clutched at her chest. What was that? What had just happened? All of a sudden, out of the blue-it felt like she'd been stabbed!

Her eyes traveled down to Hikari, who had now released her hold upon the elder boy and was now smiling, almost giddy with joy.

And Ino's blood ran cold.

_Shinji…his eyes…they were never that cold...or grey, were they? _Her heart was starting to pound with panic. Something was off! It was far too easy!

"Huh? M-Miss Ino?" Before Ino knew what was happening, she'd grabbed the little girl, and pulled her away from the boy. She kept the girl pressed against her hip, while her hands fumbled with the heavy pistol Sakura had handed her but a minute earlier. "S-Sakura! Sakura! We have problems!"

"What is it, Pig?" The pinkette turned around-and swore. "Shit!"

Shinji was chuckling, in a low tone that didn't suit a child at all. The sound chilled Ino to her very core as she scurried backwards even faster, stumbling slightly. Hikari's eyes widened, as the boy rose from the chair. The restraints fell away into nothing, and his laughter grew.

**"HEH. SO, YOU FIGURED IT OUT, EH? PRETTY SMART-FOR A BITCH!"** Sakura cocked her pistol, as 'Shinji' began to stretch and contort right before their eyes.

"That son-of–a-biscuit eater!" Haruno rushed forward, grabbing Ino's arm in hers. "It was a trap! The fucker set us up!" _Damnit! Why didn't I sense it earlier? It was a disguise! _Sakura raised the gun, ready to fire at will.

**"HEH HEH HEH…"** The tanned skin gave way to deep, grey flesh that bubbled and seethed. Claws protruded from his hands, which had swelled to the size of frying pans. His eyes were narrowed into red slits that leered at the three females before him. Ino nearly puked, as the sound of crunching bones filled the chamber. His spine had extended, as well as his middle. What stood before them was now no longer a man.

It was a spawn of Hell.

**"HIKARI…"** he hissed, and the girl ducked behind the blonde. **"YOU'RE JUST AS STUPID AS WHEN YOU WERE ALIVE. SUCH A DUMB KID…"** his teeth were protruding over his lower lip, as he gnashed them in the air. The scent of urine and liquor now filled the area. Ino's eyes watered, and she was forced to cup a hand over her mouth. It was worse than Daniel!

"Ino! Focus!" The blonde squealed, as she suddenly felt a hand tugging at her wrist. Sakura was forcing her hand away from her mouth. "What are you doing?"

"This isn't a pretty job! And you need both hands to fight!" Her green eyes were hard with determination. The adrenaline that currently flowed through her veins flashed through in quick jolts and flickers.

Ino gulped, but allowed her fingers to loosen, and her arm to drop to her side. Haruno nodded stiffly. "That's the spirit. Now…" she turned around, facing the leering demon before them, "get ready. Don't think-just aim and shoot!" And before Ino could answer back, Sakura raised her pistol, and fired off three shots.

**"HEH HEH HEH! YOUR SKILLS ARE SHIT, PINKY!"** The pinkette swore-two of the bullets had just missed him. But one of them had managed to imbed itself in his leg. There was just one problem: He wasn't slowing down. Lumbering towards them, Sakura swung an arm out, blocking Ino and Hikari.

"Aaah…h-help meee…" the pitiful, forlorn cry made the blonde freeze when she stood. "Shinji."

**"HEY, SHUT UP BACK THERE!"** the monster grinned. **"THAT'S RIGHT-THE LITTLE BASTARD IS WITH ME NOW."** He shifted, and Ino's blue eyes widened in terror. Protruding from his scaly back was the limp figure of Otori Shinji.

"You creep! What did you do to him?" Ino found herself screaming.

"Ino! Stand down!" The harsh tone instantly silenced her. Sakura's eyes were now narrowed. "Shit…he's trying to absorb him. I should've figured that much-no wonder he could shape-shift."

"Absorb him?" Ino was panicking. The group took another few steps back.

"Yeah. That ugly bugger is smarter than I first thought." Sakura turned her head to face Ino. "The more souls a condemned being can consume, the stronger they become. Especially family members. Plus, the absorbed souls end up in Hell as well. He wants to have his way with these two kids."

"We have to save Shinji!" Ino was ready to cry. "We can save him-right?"

"Yes, but it'll be risky. We don't have a whole lot of time. Plus, I don't know how I can take the prick on now-he has enough of a connection with Shinji that if I attack him, the kid feels it too." Her voice dropped to a low whisper. "Keep a good grip on Hikari, you hear me Pig? He's after her. Once he can absorb her and her brother, he'll go after you. A human with the sight-do you know how many bonus points you'd be worth?" Ino could only shake her head, pulling Hikari ever closer to her side.

"Well, just think of it like a video game." With that, Sakura replaced her pistol in its holster. "Get moving, Pig. This is gonna get nasty."

"W-what are you going to do?"

"'Sigh' Since I can't use my bullets, I'll have to resort to physical combat. The damage against Shinji should be far less." Sakura cracked her knuckles, and bit her lip. Ino stared in disbelief. The pinkette was seriously going to attempt to fight this thing with her fists?

"Ino-pig. Get going." Sakura was dead serious about her next course of action. Ino felt her heart tighten. What if…what if Sakura got hurt?

Or killed?

"Are you stupid or something? Haul ass, blondie!" Somehow, hearing a familiar smart remark from her mouth reassured the blonde. She gulped, before turning away. "Hey."

"What?" Sakura never pulled her eyes from the demon in front of her.

"Good luck…forehead." She cracked a small grin. "Zero bullshit, gentlemen, right?"

Sakura blinked. Then she began to chuckle, as she flashed the thumbs-up. "You got it." Ino was still worried, but at least she felt more confident now. Satisfied, she scooped up Hikari and ran out the door. The demon made a move to follow them, but the pinkette blocked him. "Uh-uh, buddy! You'll have to get through me first! And damn it if I'd ever let you lay a finger on Ino!"

The being chuckled.** "YOU WANNA BE THE FIRST TO DIE? FINE BY ME."**

"Alright, shithead…" After a few tense moments of sizing each other up, Haruno reached into another pocket upon her gun holster, and pulled out a pair of black gloves. Carefully, she replaced her fingerless ones with these. They seemed to mold specifically to her hands. She smirked.

"Heh. Those cocky ANBU wannabes didn't search me nearly as well as they thought. Lucky me." She clenched her fists, glaring into the eyes of the dead. These gloves were specifically designed for hand-to-hand combat. They helped to magnify her power.

"Okay, this is it." Sakura took a deep breath. Ino and Hikari were counting on her! "Ready, steady, GO!"

She lunged forward.

**….**

'CRASH'

"What the hell?"

Ino was trying to find her way through the twisting corridors and tunnels. But it was impossible to remember the exact way they had travelled previously. It was as if the whole place were alive, constantly changing!

"Yeek!" Ino squeaked, as she slipped and slid across a wet patch. Hikari gripped at her neck tightly, as she struggled to keep her balance. She was too frightened to reach out and make a grab at the wall-not after what had happened the last time.

'THOOM' Ino's head shot up. Those sounds had sounded even closer than the last bunch! "Don't tell me that Haruno and that creep are fighting their way down the halls?"

_If that's the case, then-I gotta get moving! _Doing her best to stay stable on her two legs, she wobbled her way over the damp floor. The scent of liquor invaded her nose and burned her eyes. Hikari was whimpering-the smell was getting to her as well. Ino grabbed at her sweater, and managed to yank it off. "Here." She handed it to the child, to wrap around her face.

'BAM' "How much further to go?" No matter how much space they covered, they didn't seem to be making any progress at all. And the booming and thrashing was only growing louder.

_Don't think like that, Ino! You need to have hope! Keep your head up! For both Sakura and Hikari's sakes!_

Gritting her teeth with a new resolve, Ino continued her trek along the dark and dank pathways.

**….**

"Yowza!"

Sakura was doing her best to avoid each punch or tackle that was aimed her way, but it was getting more difficult with every turn. The room kept changing, plus this lunkhead was faster than she'd first pegged him for. A dangerous underestimation on her part.

"Waah!" And it didn't help matters that Shinji was experiencing half of every blow that managed to connect with the creep.

**"HA! JUST AS I THOUGHT-BITCHES CAN'T FIGHT!"** The bastard was mocking her! This did not sit well with Haruno. She bared her teeth, growling in an animalistic way.

"Grr…you're really grating on my last nerve here, Stinkmeiner!" She charged forward, fist at head level.

"TASTE MY FIST!" The powerful punch collided with the monster's head, sending him skidding back a few feet. She heard Shinji cry out in pain, but forced herself to ignore it. The monster was a bit disoriented-this was her chance!

"YA-HA!" She leapt up, swinging her leg forward and spinning around. It was an attempt to knock him sideways in the neck.

'WMP' But she hadn't been counting on him recovering so quickly, or catching her leg in midair. Sakura swung limp, eyes bugging out. She could feel the blood rushing to her head, as the demon grinned at her. He looked even uglier upside-down. "Uhh…hey there? How's it hanging?"

His grin grew.

**….**

'SMASH' "EEEK!"

Ino whirled around quickly, blocking Hikari from the debris that was flying their way. As she took a chance and glanced up through the smoke clouds, her heart dropped into her stomach. Ino rushed over.

Sakura lay in a pile of rubble and wood, bruised and bloody. Her emerald eyes were closed, and her breathing was ragged. Ino was frantic, as she carefully released Hikari to her side. "Haruno! Haruno! Wake up!"

**"HEH HEH HEH…THAT BITCH SHOULD'VE JUST STAYED OUTTA THE KITCHEN. SHE COULDN'T HANDLE THE HEAT…"** Ino was close to sobbing now, as she began to desperately shake Haruno, hands gripping her shoulders. "Haruno! Haruno! Snap out of it! I-I can't take this guy on! Please! Wake up!" Hikari squealed, as the father-monster took another few heavy steps in their direction.

"Shit! How the hell was I supposed to use this again?" Ino fumbled for the gun that the pinkette had handed her earlier. She held it up, in trembling hands, trying to point it straight at the creature's head. "S-stay back! Stay back! Or I-I'll shoot!" Her shaky threat didn't faze the being at all, as he continued towards his prey-Hikari. Ino gulped, heart hammering in her ribcage like a hamster on the wheel.

"I-I warned you!" Quickly, she squeezed the trigger and shut her eyes.

Silence.

Ino cracked open one baby blue orb, to see that the gun in her hands hadn't gone off. She was now sweating. Why hadn't it worked?

**"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"** The demon was doubled over in laughter. After a few moments, he straightened up, and flicked a finger. **"REMEMBER, GIRLY-SAFETY FIRST."**

"H-huh?" Ino's eyes darted down, to see a switch near the back of the barrel. And it was flipped up. "Goddamnit!" How was she supposed to know? She'd never used a dangerous weapon before!

**"NOW, HIKARI…"** he drawled out, making both parties wince at the mocking, screechy tone, **"BE A GOOD GIRL…AND COME TO DADDY!"** With that, he rushed straight at the little girl. She let loose an ear-splitting scream of pure terror.

"Sakura! Wake UP!" Ino had no idea what came over her. All she did know was that at the last second, she flung herself in front of Hikari. Thus, she ended up being gulped down in the jowls of a demon.

"WAAAUGH…!" It smelled awful! She could feel spit and hot breath coating her, while sharp fangs scraped at her skin and clothes. She couldn't tell which way was up or down!

Then, she blacked out.

**….**

"…urgh…I-Ino?"

As Sakura came to, she soon realized that the figure staring down at her was none other than-

"Hikari? Where the hell is Ino?" She shot up, and grabbed the child's shoulders. Shaking her roughly, she noticed that the child was crying.

"'hic' M-Ms. Ino…Ms. Ino…she-she 'hic'…"

'GROWL' 'GURGLE'

Sakura's head jerked to the left, and her eyes began to bulge. The demon was now three times larger than before, and was currently glowing. The color drained from the pinkette's face, as realization dawned on her. "Ino…"

**"HEH HEH…'GULP' THAT'S ONE TASTY GIRL!"** The monster licked his lips, flashing a wicked grin at Haruno. Her face was hidden in shadow, as she rose to her feet.

"You…you fucking-how dare you? HOW DARE YOU?" She pulled out the familiar silver gun, and aimed it at his head. "I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH IT! I won't…"

He merely chortled again. Sakura was raging now. She drew the safety latch back.

'CLICK'

'BANG' 'BANG' 'BANG'

**….**

"…_mm…"_

_Slowly, Ino blinked, as everything began to come back into focus. Sitting up, she was surprised when she felt a cool weight in her hand. Looking down, she saw the black pistol that Sakura had lent her so long ago…_

"_But where am I?" As she got to her feet, Ino tried to remember exactly what had happened before this point._

"…_oh, shnikes. I was-I was eaten!" Panic began to bubble up inside, as she quickly scanned her surroundings. But there was nothing-just endless black. An almost blinding darkness. Was she dead? Was this the afterlife?_

'_CRASH' "Huh? What was that?" The sound startled her. Was there somebody else here? Shakily, she took a few steps forward. Then a few more. And a few more._

'_FWSH' "Ahh!" It was as if somebody had suddenly flipped on a light. The glare hurt Ino's eyes as she tried to adjust._

'_SMASH' "You little shit!" Ino tensed up at the harsh tone. Lowering her arms from her face, she was exposed to a sight that she'd hoped to never see again._

_It was the demolished kitchen from Hikari's memories. But there were a few differences._

_A small blonde child was huddled in a corner, whimpering and sobbing. A man towered over her, screaming and panting. Ino almost fainted._

_The figures were her and her father._

"_D-daddy?" Ino shuffled forward slightly._

"_Shut up!" The scratchy vocals nearly caused her to stumble and fall. Why was her father angry at her?_

"_You ugly little bitch! I should've never let her give birth to you!" The words stung her ears and stabbed at her heart. Her father's fury was almost overwhelming. "I fed you, clothed you, sent you to school-and this is how you repay me! Just like your mother!"_

_Ino was trying not to cry. Her father was so angry-so displeased with her. She really was a horrible daughter!_

"_And then, when I died, did you even care? NO! You didn't shed a goddamn tear __for me! Just went on your merry way…at least your mother had the decency to cry!"_

"_D-daddy, I'm-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ino was sobbing now, gun shaking in her grasp. "I-I didn't mean to!"_

"_It's all your fault!" And at that moment, Ino locked eyes with her younger self. And gasped. For the briefest moment, she had seen amber reflecting back at her._

_And everything fell together._

'_TMP' 'TMP' 'TMP' Ino had rushed forward, and was now shielding her younger self from her 'father's' wrath. Her blue eyes were hard, as they locked with steely grey._

"_You're not my father." The words rolled out of her mouth with confidence and rage. The tears of a minute ago were now replaced with fire and realization. "And I was stupid to believe it, for even a moment. You're pathetic."_

_She wrapped an arm around the tiny figure from her youth, and smiled down at them. "It's okay, Shinji. I'm here now. I said I'd save you, right?"_

_In a flash of wide eyes and shimmers, the younger Ino had transformed back into a trembling Otori Shinji. "Ino!" he cried out, clinging tightly to her waist._

_Slowly, she raised the pistol until the tip was pointed directly at her 'father's' forehead. His eyes narrowed, as his appearance reverted back to that of the demonic father figure. She flicked the safety tab down._

"_The past is the past. And you are nothing but a forgotten memory." She pulled Shinji closer._

"_Don't peek."_

'_BANG'_

**….**

**"ARRGHHH!"** Sakura stared, jaw dropped, as the creature before her suddenly fell to his knees. He was writhing in abject pain. She lowered the gun in her hands, watching him heave violently.

**"BLLAAAAAARGH!"** With a sharp splurch of blood and spit, a large bundle flew forth from his mouth. As the saliva dripped to the floor, Sakura gasped in pure surprise.

"I-Ino!" The blonde rose to her feet, Shinji clinging tightly to her side. Sakura rushed forward.

"You DUMBASS! Do you know how freaking worried I was?" Sakura was this close to crying tears of joy. She didn't care. Pig was alive!

"Sa…kura…" Ino mumbled, holding out her hand. The pinkette groaned, as she saw that the blonde was returning her gun-and it was covered in slime. "Aw, jeez! This is gonna take forever to clean!"

"Just…just finish…him off." Ino staggered back, to an awestruck Hikari. Sakura replaced the gun in her holster, and hefted the large bazooka from her back.

"Aw, it's okay, Dorchet-kun! Yes, you get to play now! Isn't this so much fun? Yes it is! Yes it is!" Haruno was cooing at her dearest weapon, as she aimed it at the weak and screeching demon upon the floor. She winked.

"Hasta la Vista, bitch!"

'KA-BOOM'

'WHOOSH'

The explosion tore through the monster in a matter of three seconds, before making its way to the walls. They were ripped away, revealing a glowing portal. Slinging the trusty Dorchet onto her back once more, the pinkette scrambled over to Ino, and pulled her flush against her. The blonde was still a bit woozy from her adventures in the belly of the best.

"This is our stop, Pig! Get ready! You too, rugrats!" The two ghost children hurried to stand next to Haruno. She grabbed Hikari's wrist with her free hand, while Shinji held on to Ino's.

"Prepare to abandon ship! One…two…THREE!" And in a blinding flash of white light, they leapt through the entryway.

**A/N: And finally, the big battle sequence is complete. But there are still a few loose ends to tie up before this particular saga in the story is complete. They have to land on solid ground for one thing. Ahh, but I really hope you enjoyed. This chapter was pretty fun to pen out. It was interesting to give Ino the spotlight for once-although Saku's fight with the demon-daddy was pretty cool, too. But damn if my hand doesn't hurt now...XD Oh, well. For you wonderful people, it's worth it. Okay, next chapter: Sakura and Ino say farewell to their spirit charges, and everything goes back to normal-right? Pfft. Not by a long shot. (Besides, normal is sooo overrated) LOL. Alright, later.**


	9. Step Lightly

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters)-Shinji, Hikari, Mieko and the father. That's all. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**A/N: Forgive me, everybody, for the delayed updates. I now give you...your new chapter. Enjoy.**

Chapter Nine: Step Lightly

"Waaauuugh…!"

The scream that was echoing in Ino's ears made her eyes flash open. As her senses returned to her, she nearly started screaming herself. She was being held by Sakura, who also had a grip on Hikari. Shinji was holding onto her own wet hand. The cry had emanated from one of the two children.

They were falling. In a blindingly blue abyss.

"J-jeez!" The wind whipped at her long hair and clothes, chilling her skin through her grey t-shirt. It was still damp from earlier-God, that slime was horrible! She shivered, and her grip around the pinkette became tighter.

"Wa-hoo!" Ino cast a terrified glance at her noisy companion. Sakura's face was contorted into an expression of pure joy, as the currents blew back her short neon locks. Her green eyes were flashing with excitement, as her other arm was extended outwards-it almost appeared as if she were surfing. The blonde felt a tiny digit brush her wrist, and realized that Hikari was holding onto the girl's waist as well.

"This is what I live for, baby!" Sakura's eyes widened, as a large sphere of white light seemed to be growing beneath them. The farther they fell, the larger it got. They were going to hit it head-on!

"Aaaahhh…!" Ino shut her eyes, as the shriek left her mouth.

**…**

'WHUMP' "Owww…that could've gone better…"

Ino coughed, as the dust settled around her. Nearby, she heard the grunts and shuffling of her younger companions. Glad to know that they had made it, she blinked her baby blues, and tilted her head back. As soon as her vision cleared, she saw that she was staring straight into the sky. The sun had already set, and the stars speckled the now black-violet surface with tiny glowing trails. Just like diamonds.

"Wow…" Ino's breath was caught in her throat. Where she lived out in the city, it was near impossible to see the night sky like this. Her pale eyes twinkled along in the darkness. It was a simply beautiful sight to behold.

"Hey. Pig." Ino had to hold back a squeal, as Sakura's hand plopped down on her shoulder. It was warm, which was a good thing, but it was also foreign. The blonde wasn't used to such contact. She quickly shook her head, which didn't really help matters seeing as she was still recovering from the bumpy ride back. Cursing quietly, she turned her gaze around and upwards, locking eyes with a very concerned and uncharacteristically calm Haruno Sakura.

"Are you okay?" The words took a few moments to register in Ino's head-she was too transfixed on the girl's eyes. Before her, all she could see were those two blazing emeralds. They seemed to glow in the darkness, like cat's eyes.

_Or the stars themselves._ Ino leaned forward. Sakura raised an eyebrow, confused by the blonde's behavior. The Pig wasn't about to pass out on her, was she?

"Hey. Hey. Ino-Pig. Piiig. Yo!" Sakura waved a gloved hand in front of the girl's face, now concerned. Maybe the trip back had dislodged something in her head? _Great. Just great. _Sakura tutted to herself. _That's just what I need-a psychotic teenager. She's bad enough as is!_

But as the pinkette continued watching the figure before her, she found herself getting lost in Ino's bright eyes. They were like blue fire. So stunning-but deadly to the touch.

There was something hiding underneath it all-behind Ino's naiveté and attitude, there was a hidden aspect. Unspoken feelings. A tightly corked bottle. Ino's true nature. Sakura wanted to know-wanted to see it. No, she had to. She would. She'd get Ino to open up. Get her to show those baby blues to their full potential.

Ino tilted her head. Sakura was impossible to read. A moment ago she had been so worried, and now, she was totally zoning out. Ino had finally gotten over her previous stupor-though she was still sensitive to the fact that Sakura had her hand on her shoulder. She sighed. "Come on, Haruno. Let's go check and make sure that-YEEK! W-what are you doing?"

Sakura had pulled the girl back sharply, causing Ino to fall into her lap. Now she was staring straight up at the pinkette, a blush painfully apparent upon her face. "W-what's wrong with you? You scared me half to-to death!" She tried to push herself up.

But Sakura's grip was too strong. She leaned forward, now towering over the blonde. Ino gulped. "S-Sakura? What are you"-

"Your eyes…how do you do that?" Ino blinked. Was she high? Or perhaps…experiencing the exact same sensation that she herself had run into but a few moments earlier? She furrowed her brow. "Sakura, it's just the lighting. I've"-

"Don't do that!" The outburst silenced her. Sakura looked almost wounded. Ino could only stare up, in open-mouthed surprise, as the pinkette began to lean even further down. Her breathing was husky and hot against the girl's neck. "I want…I want to see the fire. The fire…I want to see it…please…"

Sakura had no idea what was going on. One minute, she was making sure everything was alright, and enjoying the night breeze. The next, she was bent forward, with Pig in her lap. And their lips were but a few inches away from each other.

"Koose-a-la-goop-pa-goop!" The pinkette screeched, shooting up and tumbling backwards. Ino had to roll to the side, lest she be whacked in the head by a tight fist. "Haruno!"

Ino's heart was pounding, as she desperately tried to make sense of what had just happened. Had Haruno just…tried to kiss her?

_No, that's ridiculous. She's insane-she was probably just checking me for something. Or something. _Ino groaned and sat up, ready to smack some sense into the gun toting madwoman's head.

But before a single word could come out of her mouth, the sound of giggling caught her attention. That was when she remembered the children. They had landed, too-but were they safe? Quickly whipping her head to the left, she prepared to apologize, and make sure that they were in one piece.

Her jaw nearly dropped into the dirt. There were Shinji and Hikari, but they weren't standing. Both were floating above the ground, surrounded by a soft, golden light. They were smiling.

"I'm sure we'll never forget you two." Shinji chuckled, and Hikari's face broke into a huge grin. Ino got to her feet, never once taking her eyes off of the spirit children. This was a sight too astounding for words. Her eyes widened, as two pairs of white wings sprouted forth, from their backs.

"So, kids. You're all ready to go, then?" Sakura appeared to have recovered from her earlier stupor, and was now on her feet as well. Sliding up next to Ino, she cocked her head at the two children, and cast them a lopsided smile. They nodded eagerly, rising ever higher into the air.

"W-wait!" Ino reached out clumsily. They were leaving? She couldn't help it-she'd become so close to them. Dead or alive…they were so kind. She was going to miss them.

"Yes…we have to leave now. Our bonds have been broken…and we're finally free to move on." Shinji gave the blonde a sad smile. "Guess we won't be seeing each other again…not until the end." Ino gulped, but nodded in understanding. They had been trapped in a Hell on Earth for who knew how long-they deserved their freedom. Who was she to hold them back?

"Thank you both, Ino, Sakura." Hikari waved at the two, big grin still firmly in place. "Thank you, Miss Ino, and Miss Sakura! We'll never forget you!"

"Bye… " Ino waved limply, watching the two figures rise up higher and higher into the night sky. The glowing bundle grew smaller and smaller, until with a faint 'WHOOSH', it zoomed across the dark canvas.

"Just like a shooting star." Ino could feel the tears building up, at the corners of her eyes. She quickly turned away, blocking her face from view, as she hurriedly wiped up the drops. Like hell she'd let that pink-headed alien catch her crying.

"Of course." The reply startled her. She glanced over, to see the pinkette staring straight into the sky. "Haven't you ever wondered where those random comets came from? The ones that would appear all alone, at a time when meteor showers aren't in season?

"Those are souls. Souls that are making their way to Heaven, in a shower of sparks and smoke trails. They fly so high…fueled by the love of those they left behind. It's both lovely…and tragic." She sighed, running her hands through her short hair. Ino was dumbstruck, hearing such poetry flow from the loudmouth. Perhaps there was more to her new-unwanted-companion than met the eye.

"Of course, they're not leaving Earth just yet. I think there's one more stop they have to make before they set a course for the pearly gates." Haruno chuckled, as she made her way towards the graveyard path. Now that the evil had been vanquished, it felt lighter, less imposing. It was far easier to breathe here.

Ino tilted her head, as she followed the pinkette down the trail. "One more stop…?" She bit her lower lip in deep thought. Then, her eyes widened.

"Their mother."

**…**

'Sigh' "Another day, another broken dish…"

Forty-seven year old Higurashi Mieko ran a tired hand through her jet black locks. They were so stringy-she needed to get better shampoo. But she didn't have any money to spare. All her funds had to be saved for daily needs and rent.

So picking up the pieces of another shattered plate wasn't exactly the best situation for her to be in. Pretty soon, they'd all be gone. Another set of memories-gone. The scenery seemed to reflect her mood: grey and black and off-white swirled, in an inky mix.

'CLNK' "I feel so old…" She tilted her head. Her neck cracked softly. How long had she been living here, anyway? She stood up slowly, still pondering this question in her mind.

"Around…five years ago? It was…a few months after that." Her eyes misted, and she quickly turned towards the doorway. It wasn't good to cry. She had to let them go. Pining over an old mental slideshow wasn't going to bring them back to her.

But she still did. She couldn't help it-she felt so guilty. Every day, she'd spend God knew how long just standing, staring at her reflection in the dingy bathroom mirror. Always asking herself how things _could_ have been different. Telling herself that she should have grown a backbone, and left that bastard. But she didn't. And this is the future her fear had brought to her.

'WHOOSH' The sudden gust of air caught Mieko off guard. Glancing to her left, she noticed that the window was open. Puzzled, she made her way over. Running a hand over the wooden sill, she furrowed her brow.

_I could have sworn that I closed this…_after a few more moments, she finally let out a deep sigh. "Mieko, you're getting senile. You really _are_ an old woman."

"_Hee hee…" _Mieko whirled around. That sound-it couldn't be. It just couldn't be! The sound of children's laughter seemed to echo through the tiny complex.

"_Mommy…?" _The plaintive question made Mieko's breath freeze in her throat. Her eyes were wide in astonishment, as they scanned around the supposedly empty room. Gulping, she forced her mouth to open, croaking out a reply. "B-b-babies? I-is that you?" She shut her eyes tight then, fearing the worst: that she truly was crazy. Her guilt had driven her to psychosis.

"_Mommy…mommy…" _But she couldn't. She couldn't look away. The aching in her heart-it tugged at her. Forcing her to turn around, and come face-to-face with…

"_Mommy-mommy, we love you. Mommy? Mommy, we love you. Mommy…mommy…"_

Mieko choked back a laugh, tears apparent in her eyes, as a smile slowly curved her thin lips. She felt so warm…so warm and so light. Like being weightless on a beautiful sunny day. She watched, in absolute awe, as a pale orange glow enveloped the room.

There they were! Her babies! They were all right! Oh, they were so beautiful…slowly, she reached out, to try and brush her fingertips over their pearly white wings. But as soon as she drew near, they pulled back, leaving thin trails of sparkling smoke.

"Shinji…Hikari…it's you, isn't it? Oh…oh-oh, my babies…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry-please forgive me. I'm so sorry…" She sniffled, and looked down. Maybe they were here…for retribution. But it wasn't like she didn't deserve it.

But instead of hurting her, the two ethereal beings began to float upwards, towards the ceiling. Mieko watched, in stunned silence, as the figures swooped in and out, a linked chain. And their familiar previous words continued to echo all around-_"Mommy…mommy, we love you. Mommy? Mommy, we love you. Mommy? Mommy…we love you…"_

"Ohh…'sniff' T-thank you…" At that moment, Mieko was on top of the world. Her heart was swollen with happiness, as the last traces of smoke dissipated. _"We love you…bye, mommy." _With that, the room returned to its original dull state.

'TMP' Or perhaps not. Mieko had fallen to her knees, and was now sobbing for joy. Her mouth was open, in a toothy smile, as the tears streamed down her face. To know that her babies were okay; that they'd gone on to something better. And that she no longer needed to bear the weight of guilt. It was a miracle, a wondrous rainbow bridge, temporarily merging the realm of the living and the dead.

Slowly, she stood up. She had quite a bit of work to do. This place was in dire needs of a cleaning-as well as some open windows. It was finally time to let the sun shine in.

Humming, she walked out of the room, wiping the tears from her face. It was no longer a time of mourning-it was a time of celebration. Life could, and would go on. And she would always be blessed-for being the mother of two perfect angels.

"I love you too, babies…"

**…**

'BRIIIIIING'

'POKE' "Hey. Heeey. Wake up already, Pig. That clock-thing is starting to annoy me."

"…uhh…?"

"Pig. Pig. Pig. Piiig. Get up. Get up, or I swear I'll break it."

"…huh? What? Yeesh…Haruno, what time-what time is it? Break-break what?"

"Okay, you asked for it."

'WHACK' "AUGH!" 'WHUMP' "Haruno!"

Ino lay on the floor, a crumpled mess. This was exactly how she wanted to start her day-falling out of bed, thanks to that pink-headed, billboard-browed alien.

'B-B-BRIIiiing…' Her alarm clock sputtered weakly, before finally dying with a feeble 'cling'. Ino growled, struggling to sit up and give Sakura a piece of her mind. "Haruno-you stupid-do you know how much that cost?"

'TMP' "Eep!" Ino was desperately trying to get away, as Sakura pulled her into a tight embrace. The blonde coughed and gasped-this girl was way too strong for her own good! And why on Earth wouldn't she wear normal nightclothes like everybody else? Today, the pinkette was clad in a bright neon pink negligee, complete with lace trimming. A pair of red bikini undies resided on her hips and rear. Ino squirmed, as the girl rubbed against her like a cat. "Pi-ig, why do you have to be so uptight? That clock is stupid, anyway. It doesn't work." She grinned, leaning down by the teen's ear. "You're still late."

"Piss off!" Ino attempted to shove the pinkette away, but only succeeded in being pushed down further into the fallen blankets and sheets.

"Now, why can't you apply this energy to everything else, hmm? You'd be a hell of a competitor-if you'd only let up once in a while." Sakura tutted, shaking her head. "Kids these days…"

"D-don't you lecture me! You're a bloody freak!" Managing to free an arm, she swung a tightly clenched fist in Haruno's direction. But the girl just laughed. She leaned back, collapsing into the mess as well. "You'll have to wake up earlier than that to pull one over on me. And a PB&J wouldn't hurt, either." She chuckled at the joke, as Ino continued to fume.

"You idiot! You think it's funny, picking on me like this? I mean, you've already attacked my friends, and made me question my own sanity-isn't that enough? What else do you want?" Ino was now panting, as Sakura continued to stare at her, grin firmly in place.

"What else do I want? I want you to speak up more, just like this." And with that, the pinkette disappeared.

"What?" Ino spat. "Trying to play games now, huh? Not so funny when someone else does it to you, eh?"

"Ino…what's going on?" A low, raspy voice drawled forth from the now open doorway. Ino felt herself stiffen. There stood none other than her own mother. And by the look of things, it had been another late night for her. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her robe hung from her frame.

The teen tried not to retort, as the elder blonde turned away to head down the hall. "Could you, perhaps, I don't know…be quiet? Just for a little bit? My head is killing me…" Ino scoffed inwardly. _And just whose fault is that, huh Mom? _She sighed, as her mother's footsteps padded back into her bedroom. The door closed with a soft 'CLICK'.

"Oi, Pig. What's up with you and your mom? You don't exactly seem to…have much chemistry going on here." Sakura tilted her head. Ino's fist twitched. She didn't even see it coming.

'WHAM' "Ouch! Pork chop sandwiches! What the crap was that for?" Haruno rubbed at her head, as Ino stormed off down the hall towards the bathroom. Her uniform was in tow. The pinkette winced, as the door slammed with a loud 'BANG'. Apparently, her relationship with her mother was still an off-limits topic. She shook her head, brushing a loose strand of hair from her eyes. "You'd have thought that after all that, she would have learned a thing or two."

It had been a little over two weeks since their adventures in the cemetery with Shinji and Hikari. And that demon. So it had been over two weeks since Sakura had unexpectedly dropped into Ino's life. She still wasn't used to it. Sakura had grown quite fond of Ino, however. It was just too much fun trying to break her bonds. Standing up from her place on the floor, she waltzed over to the bedroom door.

'CREAK' 'BONK' "SHIT! What was that for, you beet-headed fiend?" Sakura was frantically waving her fist, as a hairbrush clattered to the floor. Ino glared at her from behind the bathroom door.

"That's for breaking my alarm clock, wingnut!" And with another loud 'SLAM', Sakura was once again alone in the hall. She groaned, as the familiar sound of padding footsteps picked up on the other end. Looks like the darling mother wished to have a few words with her darling daughter. Sakura quickly disappeared, lest she end up complicating matters any further.

Yep-looks like it was going to be another beautiful day.

**…**

"Jesus Christ…I swear, where does she get off?"

Ino and Sakura were navigating the busy city streets, as per usual. Ino was currently ranting, while Sakura was only half listening. Something was off today…

"Sometimes, I wonder why she comes home at all." Ino furrowed her brow, at the recollection of her mother's angry curses. It was a lot easier to cope when she wasn't around. A drunken parent wasn't the most thrilling experience to have. At least her father-

"A-and you!" The blonde quickly switched her attentions over to the pinkette, to stop herself from traveling down that road again. "You-you just come waltzing in here, thinking that everything is gonna be all fine and dandy? No! It's not! I may be willing to help you in this-this spirit hunting business, but I'm sure as hell not gonna stand for you destroying my own personal property!" She glared, baby blues narrowing sharply. "Hey! Are you listening to me?" She waved a hand in front of Haruno's face.

"Yeah-yeah, I am. I am." Her mind still wasn't focused on her angry companion. Something was different today-there was some kind of energy in the air. Good or bad, she couldn't tell. But whatever it was, she had to keep an eye on it.

Sakura cast a quick glance at the still fuming Ino. _If she starts picking up anything, then I'll know-it'll be time to go to work. But for now…_carefully, she faded away, as the school building came into view.

"Ino! Oi, Yamanaka!" The blonde turned, to see that Haruno was gone-and that she was being called by none other than Dog boy Kiba and lazy Shika. She groaned, and stuck her tongue out, before marching over to where the two sat in front of the school building.

From far away in a treetop, the pinkette watched, gaze never wavering. She took a deep breath, as she tried not to focus on that strange energy source. Now was not a good time to become paranoid. And she certainly didn't need Ino becoming panicky. She'd just play guardian, like always.

Just like always.

**…**

'BRIIING'

"Alright kids, settle down."

It was English class yet again, and Ino could already feel the waves of sleep descending upon her. Sitting down, she leaned forward, propping her chin on the table.

'AHEM' The man behind the desk coughed. It was the vice-principal, in place of the regular teacher. Ino couldn't be bothered with wondering why he was there, though. It was true that Levi had been pretty shaken up after that incident with Sakura, but she had still been on time for class. Maybe he just had some business to take care of. With the matter resolved, Ino allowed her eyelids to droop closed.

"Students, I have an announcement. I'm afraid to say that Ms. Levi will not be returning for the semester. She had a bit of a…breakdown last night, and is currently in the hospital. I know this must sadden you, but she's in a better place now." He wiped his brow, staring out into the sea of blank faces. Teenagers were too complicated for his liking. Kind of scary, too.

Ino's eyes flickered. So, she'd finally snapped. Oh, well. Levi had a tendency to monologue anyway. Maybe they'd get someone who wasn't in love with their own voice.

"But, thankfully, we were able to find a new teacher in no time at all!" He stood up straight, assuming his familiar authority stance. "Sir, please step inside!"

'TMP' "Oh, wow…"

The murmurs buzzed and hummed inside Ino's ears. She had allowed her eyes to close once again, only to be disturbed by a frantic tapping and shoving. Sakura was hurriedly nudging her shoulder. "Yo! Pig! Check _this_ guy out!"

"Sakura, what is"- Ino didn't finish her sentence. Her eyes landed on the figure at the front-and all forms of coherent speaking vanished from her mind.

Yep-this was _definitely_ going to be a _fantastic_ day.


	10. How Did You Get Your License?

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Ten: How Did You Get Your License?

"Oh…my…God…" Ino felt her breath tighten in her throat, as the male made his way to the front of the room. Ino had never seen anyone like this before. Not even in the dingiest parts of town. He was something else entirely.

He was tall, probably in his mid twenties to early thirties. He had an almost lazy way of moving, as he gave a quick bow to the class, before sitting down. He wore an opened grey suit coat, with a black polo necked shirt beneath it. The outfit was topped off by blue jeans and faded sneakers.

If his outfit was surprising though, it was nothing compared to his physical appearance. His hair was silver-yes, _silver_-and stood up in messy spikes, falling forwards and backwards over his head. He wore a navy blue bandanna with a strange metal plate over the middle, and it slanted down, covering his left eye. A face mask in the same shade completed the look. It covered his nose and mouth. He didn't seem to notice-or care-about all the awkward stares he was receiving, as he sat behind Ms. Levi's old desk.

The vice principal was beginning to fidget. This guy was so calm-it unnerved him. Clearing his throat, he tried to return the focus to the familiar subject of English. "Erm, sir, why-why don't you introduce yourself? Share a little with the class, and show off your credentials?"

The man raised an eyebrow. Glancing over at the expectant students, he leaned back in the chair and folded his arms behind his head.

"The name's Hatake Kakashi. I graduated from college. Age, none of your business, birthday, MYOB, hobbies, well…I don't really feel like sharing." His visible eye crinkled-he was obviously smiling. The vice principal was shaking as he stood next to him. This man was too lax for his own good!

"And…let's see here-anything else? Oh, yeah: don't get in my way, and I won't get in yours." He swung his legs up, propping them upon the desk before him. "There. Introduction done."

"R-right then…" The vice principal was as white as flour. He seemed ready to fall apart like the substance, too. "W-well, I'll leave you to it! Good luck, Hatake!" And in a flash, he was gone, scrambling out the classroom door.

The room was silent. Ino could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise, as Kakashi looked to his left, then at the center, and then to the right. For a brief moment, they locked eyes, and the blonde could have sworn that the man nodded slightly. An unfamiliar feeling surged through her body. But then the connection was broken, as he returned his attention to his new chair. She let out a quiet sigh of relief. Next to her, Sakura was still snickering over his 'speech'. "What a smart-ass!"

"Hmm…" he scratched the back of his head. "So, what am I supposed to do with you? Teach you, or something?" Ino couldn't believe it. This guy had actually graduated from college-and managed to become a teacher? He didn't even know what he was doing there!

One of the female students timidly raised her hand. He pointed at her. "Yeah, you-with the pigtails." The girl blushed at the nickname. "U-um, we were reading the fifth chapter in our textbooks…it was a story, with q-questions to answer at the end…" she trailed off, unable to continue.

He cocked his head to the side. "Textbook. Huh. And your teacher had one, too?" A couple of students nodded. "It should be in her desk," one of the male students called out. "It's a teacher's edition." Seems like a few of them were actually beginning to enjoy having this guy around-giving out information could be fun. It was like being in charge.

"…oh, here we go. This thing?" Kakashi sat up, having been slouched over to reach one of the bottom drawers. The kids nodded. Flipping through the book, he made no indication of whether or not he was focusing on any of the content. Ino was still in disbelief. If they were going to get a new teacher, the least he could do was teach them! Wasn't that what he was being paid for?

"Yeah…okay, no." He threw the book onto the desk. It flopped down, cover flapping as it settled. "That thing is way too much. Too much to take in at this hour." He gave a bored gaze to the startled classroom. "So, why don't you all…" and he leaned back in his chair once more, running his finger over his covered chin, "just…I don't know, find something else to do?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Talk with each other-that's something you all like, right?" With the matter apparently settled, he pulled out a small orange novel from his coat pocket, and started to read.

Gradually, the stunned mass of seated students broke apart, switching places as they began to chat and gossip in hushed voices. It was strange, they had to admit, but…free time was free time. It was like an extra recess.

Sakura chuckled, slapping Ino on the back playfully. "Well, lookit that! Lucky you-you got a slacker this time around! Wish I'd had a teacher like that!" She crossed her arms, leaning against the window.

_There's something wrong with him…_Ino couldn't put her finger on it, but there was definitely something off about this guy 'Hatake Kakashi'. It wasn't just the attitude, or the disregard to the lesson plans-his very energy, itself, seemed to exude a kind of power…a force of sorts. She'd felt it when they had locked eyes earlier. Not like a demon-it was different. But still…it had her concerned.

_Should I tell Sakura?_ The blonde looked up questioningly at her companion. She was focused on the scenery outside, watching as a little black bird flittered from branch to branch. Ino shook her head.

_I'm probably just overreacting. This guy's weird, yes, but…that doesn't make him a monster._ She looked back at the male, who was reclining comfortably in his chair. He flipped a page in his pocketbook, and shook with soft laughter. Squinting at the cover, Ino was shocked to realize that she had seen it before-on display in the red light district! It was a porno novel!

Her fists were clenched tightly, as she pressed them into the wooden tabletop. _No, he's __**not**__ a monster._

_He's just a lousy teacher-and a lecher, too!_

**…**

"…still can't believe that he managed to get away with it! I mean, hello-the warning was right there, on the front cover for all to see! I think this school is going to the dogs. Seriously."

It was first recess, and Ino was storming up and down the halls of the school. She hadn't been able to focus on her later classes, after that first encounter in the morning with Kakashi. Now she was venting, to anyone who would listen-namely, Sakura. The pinkette was actually in deep thought of her own-but of course, Ino being all worked up, was too busy to bother looking.

"Come on! I don't attend this place because it's fun-I do it because those are the rules! But if I'm gonna be forced to crack open the books, the least I'd ask for is to actually learn something!" She threw up her arms in frustration. "Don't you agree, Sakura? Sakura?"

"Umm…" The pinkette wasn't listening. She was currently mulling over the facts in her head. After that power spike earlier in the morning, the energy had disappeared-until they'd entered the classroom. It had returned again, stronger and in intervals. She still had no idea what was causing it, though. A specific kind of demon? Another bounty hunter? Or perhaps…

"Hey! Ha-ru-no! Wake up!" Ino was now planted in front of her companion, hands clutching at hips, baby blues glaring like a wildfire. Her nose was dangerously close to Sakura's own. Luckily, this particular hallway was deserted, so Ino didn't have to worry about looking crazy. Sakura blinked, green eyes wide in surprise.

_Maybe…maybe it's her._ Sakura had to consider all options-and from what she had observed on their last escapade, it was quite possible. Ino definitely had power-how strong she truly was, the pinkette couldn't be sure. But she was obviously packing some kind of heat. The fact that she hadn't died after being eaten whole by that bastard proved it. She was no mere 'Seer.'

So, were Ino's abilities growing? Sakura had no clue. She leaned forward to study the blonde, an almost expectant expression on her face. Ino, in turn, tilted backwards. "Oi, billboard, what the heck are you doing?" Was Sakura off on one of her weird trips again? Who knew what would happen next?

The girl pursed her lips. Ino noticed, for some odd reason, just how plump and pink they looked. For all her bizarre antics, Sakura could be very attractive when caught at the right moment. Catching her thoughts, the blonde slapped herself mentally-but stopped as soon as she realized that Sakura was drawing closer.

Ino gulped silently-perhaps Sakura was planning to finish what she'd started back in the graveyard? Heat began to rise into her cheeks rapidly. Her heart began to pound-did she really want to be kissed by this creature? Yes or no? For the first time, Ino didn't have a straight answer.

But instead of pressing her lips into the other girl's, she merely sighed, pulling back. Ino was baffled, as Sakura scratched her head. "Nope," she drawled, turning on her heel. "You're not special, Pig. Not at all."

Ino tried not to choke. Was Haruno reading her mind? The rage of being invaded, or simply led on, began to boil over, as she clenched her fists tightly. The pinkette turned around. "Ino, I was"-

'WHAM'

Sakura fell to the floor, as Ino marched off, angrily calling back to her floored partner. "AUGH! And to think-I actually thought you were attractive! You look like a giant fish!" She disappeared around the corner, as once again, Haruno was left massaging a bruised cheek. "Yeesh…what got under her knickers this time?"She chuckled. "Heh. Knickers. Rhymes with Snickers. Which reminds me…"

Slowly rising to her feet, Sakura stretched, rubbing her sore face. "I'm hungry." She headed off in what she remembered to be the direction of the lunchroom. She could steal a candy bar from one of the vending machines. It would take her mind off of the pain-and the strange energy source.

"Wonder what she meant by 'attractive'?" The pinkette mused over this aloud, not noticing the shadowy figure that'd been behind a wall, listening to the entire exchange. They said nothing, sliding away down the empty hall. The bell would be ringing soon enough. And they had work to do.

A lot of work.

**…**

'CLNK' 'SHF' 'TAP'

"Hey, have you heard about the new English teacher?"

"The one who took over for Levi? Yeah, my girlfriend's in his first class!"

"I heard that he's totally cool! Like, he doesn't even make you do work or anything-it's like having a free period!"

"He just sits there, reading this little book! I think it's a manga."

"Levi would have chewed us out if anyone had tried a stunt like that."

"Ha ha! He's alright, but he looks so grungy! Like a homeless guy, or something! Eew!"

"Maybe he's not even a teacher at all-that's why they were able to find a replacement so fast!"

These were the snippets of general conversation Ino picked up on, as she sat at an outside table, munching her lunch. After such a stressful morning, she thought that some food might ease her nerves, and take her mind off of everything.

But so far, the food was only helping to make her queasy. And the chatter of her classmates was only a reminder of what she'd hoped to escape in the first place. She dropped her fork on the plastic tray, waiting to stand up and dump out the contents. The line was still pretty long, and she didn't have much interest or patience today to wait around.

"Jeez…right now, I actually miss that pink-haired loony. At least she'd try to make me laugh." When she'd stepped into her next class after recess was over, the girl was nowhere to be found. Nor had she shown up at the next period, either. Ino was feeling guilty now. Perhaps that punch had been the final straw? She couldn't help it-she wasn't used to expressing herself properly with words. She'd been raised to keep her emotions bottled up inside. People didn't need to know what you were feeling. Most of them didn't even care. So when her true feelings bubbled to the surface, she responded with violence and rude retorts.

She barely remembered the conversation they'd had that set her off in the first place. She'd thought Sakura was a mind reader, or something. She wasn't-her statement had just caught the blonde off-guard. Perhaps because it hit so close to home…

"Alright. I should probably go look for her." Standing from her seat, Ino picked up her tray, and headed into the line. Once she was finished there, she went into the main building. Sakura had to be inside somewhere.

'CREEEAK…'

"Hello? Sakura? You in here?"

Ino had never heard the double doors sound as ominous as they did then. The inside of the school seemed dark, as she crept down the halls. Was everybody really outside eating? She could have sworn that at least a small handful of students would stay inside to goof off. That's how it was usually.

Usually. But today hadn't exactly been one of the most ordinary days, either.

'TMP' Ino stopped at the base of the first floor staircase. Had she already walked that far? It didn't feel like it. She thought to herself-should she keep searching on the first floor, or head up now? Decisions, decisions…

As she stood there thinking, a long shadow sidled up behind her. In the still air, a thin hand plopped down on her right shoulder. "Boo!"

The scream that erupted from Ino's mouth was off the charts. She was surprised that no one had come running, as she squealed, swiftly cupping a hand over her mouth. Her heart was skipping, as she whirled around, and found Sakura reeling on the floor. "Uhh…who taught you how'ta yell like that?"

Ino huffed, face a bright shade of strawberry, even in the semi-darkness. "I-it serves you right, you weirdo!" Her throat felt raw-that shriek had taken a lot out of her. "A-and what were you doing, sneaking up behind me, anyway? Where were you after break?"

Sakura grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Ino-Pig…I thought you'd be able to handle the joke. You don't recognize my voice yet? I know yours like the back of my hand." Hearing this, Ino's blush grew. She hadn't expected Haruno to spring such a statement on her without any warning-and after all that had happened earlier, too. The guilt in the pit of her stomach grew.

"Besides…I was hungry." Haruno chuckled, as a growl came forth from her abdomen. "I had a few candy bars, but…"

Ino sighed in frustration. "Sakura…" She meant to tell her off, but looking up into her green eyes, she found the response stuck in her throat. There had been enough angry words for the day. Instead, she found herself replying "Candy isn't a meal substitute-why didn't you come outside? I could have given you my plate lunch…next time, stay with me, okay?" The pinkette stared, obviously shocked at the offer, but nodded in acknowledgement.

_Where-where is all of this coming from?_ Ino had no idea what was going on. First, she's angry at the girl, and now she's offering her an invitation to lunch? Was she going crazy? Was she about to start her monthly flow? Or was it…

'PING' "Oh!" This time, both girls felt it-that sharp burst of energy. Ino whirled back towards the stairs, and Sakura wasn't too far behind. "You sense that?" Ino nodded briskly. "It's somewhere up there…whatever it is, we have an obligation to find it!" Again, the nod. The two bolted up the stairs in record time.

Ino wasn't sure if she was ready to face another monster just yet. But whatever happened…at least it would be a welcome distraction.

**…**

"Well…'pant' 'pant'…no-go. We've looked all over…and nothing."

Sakura and Ino stood at the foot of the stairs on the second floor. They'd been running around like madwomen, searching every shadowed and dusty corner, trying to find the source of the surge before the lunch bell rang. But even with their combined superhuman speed, they found nothing. Now both girls were exhausted and frustrated. The bell would ring in about ten minutes, maybe less. And something was still lurking inside the school.

"Ah, whatever." Haruno cricked her neck. "We'll get another chance tomorrow. So we can try again later."

"Later? Easy for-for you to say!" Ino took in a deep breath, and let it out noisily. This wasn't Sakura's school; none of her friends were here. She didn't have to worry if someone got hurt. But what if one of Ino's friends was targeted?

'FLICK' "Huh?" Out of the corner of her eye, the blonde noticed a light. Had it been on the whole time? Or had someone just turned it on now? Curious, she walked over, doing her best to keep her steps light and quiet.

"What is it, Pig?" Sakura followed closely, as Ino stopped at the door to a classroom. Her brow furrowed in recognition, and she crossed her arms tightly. "Never mind. It's _his_ room."

The two girls peered inside. Kakashi's class was just as it had been when they'd been inside-immaculate, spotless, with not a book in sight. The only difference was the absence of students, and the backpack behind the teacher's desk. Ino snorted.

"What does he need that for? He's not even following the lessons! What's he got to carry-more pornos?" Sakura giggled, and the sound somehow brightened Ino's mood. She continued on. "And who has silver hair-when they're in their twenties or thirties? Did he mess up a dye job-or was he born that way? If so, I feel sorry for his parents." Again, Sakura let out a snicker.

"And he's not even in his classroom! I'll bet he went off campus to grab lunch, and won't even remember to come back! He's such a loafer!" Sakura burst out in laughter now, as she imagined a shoe with Kakashi's face at its front. Hearing her laugh made Ino crack up as well. "He's…he's a total perv! A total, lazy"-

"_Who's_ a total lazy perv?"

Ino's blood ran cold. Beside her, Sakura continued to chortle on. Ino wasn't concerned about her-she was invisible to humans. But Ino wasn't. And standing directly behind her was none other than the butt of her jokes himself, Hatake Kakashi. Terrified, she turned around. It felt like everything was going in slow motion.

Kakashi stood there, eye crinkled in another smile. Ino got the distinct impression of a predator waiting to strike. In one hand was his little orange novel; the other held a paper bag. Had he been grocery shopping?

"You know…Miss Yamanaka," at this, Ino broke into a sweat-he knew her last name!-as he stepped around her paralyzed form, opening the door with a key, "it's not nice to talk about other people behind their backs. Especially when you make such particularly horrendous jokes at their expense." She was forced to face him again, as he gave her a small wave. "You've got a long way to go if you're hoping to break into show business." He headed for his desk, seemingly satisfied by Ino's state of shock.

By this time, Sakura had recovered from her laughing fit, and was now looking back and forth between the two of them. She was like a spectator at a tennis match. Noticing Ino's horrified expression, her eyes narrowed. Looks like she'd have to show this guy who was boss, too.

"Alright, Mr. Funny Bone! Time to pay the piper!" She marched in confidently, as Ino could only gape in awe and fear. Was Sakura actually trying to defend her from this-this sarcastic perv?

"Here we go!" The pinkette stood at Kakashi's desk. He had pulled out a fresh loaf of bread-he had been at the supermarket-along with some chips, peanut butter, and jelly. Spreading the two substances onto two halves, he dumped out some of the chips as well on the sandwich. Pressing the two pieces together, he prepared to remove his mask.

"Uh-uh! Not today, Jethro Tull!" And with a sharp 'SWSH', Haruno had yanked the sandwich from the man's hands. He blinked in surprise. It took him a few moments, before he realized that his lunch was now floating in mid-air, above his desk. Ino felt like screaming and laughing. _In your face, old man!_ she wanted to shout.

Kakashi wasn't frightened, though. Nor was he upset. He simply stared at the hovering food, as if watching a show. The pinkette turned towards Ino. A big grin was on her face. "Well, Pig? Did I pop his cherry, or what?" Ino had to bite down hard on her tongue, then-Sakura's strange sayings were too much.

But suddenly, to both of their surprise, the silver haired man quickly grabbed the levitating meal from Sakura's grasp. She was stunned. Ino was panicking. What was going on?

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, glancing in Sakura's direction. "It's not very nice to steal someone's food, Sakura." The pinkette's jaw was hanging. Ino's insides were knotted and churning. He couldn't. He shouldn't.

_He's not supposed to be able to see her!_

"Yes, I can see you, Haruno." He still hadn't removed his face mask. "And by the way…popping one's cherry refers to virgins and sex." He chuckled. "Just thought you'd like to know. For future reference." The color had now completely drained from Sakura's features, as she looked over weakly at the blonde. Ino had no answers, though.

_We're busted. We're totally busted! Sunk! Dead in the water! Hook, line and sinker!_ She felt like tearing off her ponytail. She had no idea how, but for whatever reason, Kakashi could see Sakura. Not only that, he knew her name. And from the way Haruno was freaking out, she obviously didn't know him.

_So…so what the hell's going on?_

'BRIIIIIING' The bell interrupted her thoughts. With no other options on hand, Ino bolted from the room. She didn't know if Sakura was following her. And she had no desire to check.

_Why me? Why me? Why me, God, why me?_ "Damn it!" Ino's flats slipped against the floor-someone had been mopping recently, which didn't help, either-and she cursed, hugging the corner tightly for support.

How was she going to face him again? Now that he knew her secret, things were a lot more complicated. What about Sakura? What was she planning? Was he going to reveal them both to the whole school?

She lifted her head up, forcing back the tears and scream that threatened to erupt from her mouth, as students began filing into the building. A few gave her funny stares as they passed by. She didn't care. She had a whole new set of problems on her hands.

Now, not only could she see ghosts, and was forced to partner up with a psychotic pink haired menace, but her secret had just been discovered-by none other than her pervy slacker of an English teacher! Could things get any worse?

"Rgh…" Trying to collect herself, Ino hurried to her next class. As much as it pained her to accept this fact, she had to. Kakashi knew. And now, it was up to her and Sakura to discover whether he was friend-or foe.

And to do so, they'd have to get to know _him_. Which meant…

"Aw, crap!" Looks like she wasn't going straight home this afternoon. It was time for an early student-teacher meeting.

With an alien.

_Lucky me…not._

**A/N: Hey, everybody! Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving! I'm currently on the mainland, trying to get my shit together. XD I only have 'net access when I go to a cafe. So, I've been spending a LOT of time working on my fics. And here is one of the fruits of my labor!**

**Let me know what you thought of this chapter-funny, interesting, satisfying, bland? It's your call. I tried to be as faithful to Kakashi's character as I could, but...it is an AU fic. A few changes here and there were necessary. (Like the weird sandwich ;p)**

**More SakuxIno interaction will be coming up soon enough! So hold tight! And enjoy the rest of your holidays!**

**=^.^=**


	11. May I Make Your Acquaintance?

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Eleven: May I Make Your Acquaintance?

"Rgh…"

Ino sat impatiently at her desk, blue eyes focused intently on the clock up at the front of the classroom. Only a few more minutes until school was set to let out. But it felt as if time had been dragging on forever! When would that blasted bell ring?

Next to her, Sakura was tense as well. She was seated on the floor, cross-legged, with her chin in her palm, and her elbow pressed into her knee. She was staring at something on the floor-upon a brief closer inspection, Ino discovered it to be a small beetle.

It wasn't that she wanted to get home early. No, there was a far more pressing reason for her desperation for escape.

She and Sakura had something to take care of. Namely, a meeting with one Hatake Kakashi.

Ino gulped silently. She hoped he'd still be in his room when they headed back upstairs. As hard as it was to swallow, he was a part of the game now. He knew Sakura, knew of her existence, though he wasn't supposed to. And now, it was up to them to see just _how_ much he knew. And whether or not he was on their side. Her stomach continued trying itself in knots, over and over, as she waited for the long hand to reach the top of the clock. Just a little more…

'BRIIIIIING' At long last, the bell rang, and Ino let out a heavy breath that she didn't even realize she'd been holding. Rising to her feet, she began to pack her bag, shoving her books and papers inside. Once she'd zipped it closed, she hurried for the door, her pink haired companion following after her silently. This was it-the moment of truth.

Ino noticed every step she took, as she climbed up the stairs to the second floor. She felt like a character in a horror movie, drawing closer to the basement or attic-or, in this case, the door of the English classroom. She stopped outside, gazing down at the doorknob, as if by staring at it long enough, they could somehow get out of this predicament. Sakura looked quizzically at her.

"Come on, Pig. Let's get the hamper in the chute-and get this over with." Nodding slowly, Ino extended her hand. It was sweaty and warm, wrapping around the cool metal of the knob. Turning it with a careful swish of the wrist, the door creaked open before them.

"H-hello…? Mister Hatake?" Ino was surprised that this semi-coherent sentence managed to find its way out of her tangled throat. She peered around the thick door, to find…

…that the classroom was empty.

"Oh, no." Stepping inside, Ino's blue eyes frantically searched over the large room. "Don't tell me we missed him!" _He can't have left already! He couldn't! Not with our situation still-__**unresolved**__ between the three of us! _She took another few steps, worry evident upon her face.

"Yo. Hold up, Ino-Pig. His stuff's still here." Sakura had gone ahead to his desk, and, sure enough-his bags were on the floor, leaning lightly against his chair. The knapsack with who knew what inside, and the paper bag from lunch. Ino rushed over, mouth breaking into a relieved grin. "Then-then we've got a chance! Maybe…maybe he's just in the restroom!"

Sakura snorted. "Yeah-in the can, draining the lizard." Both girls had to laugh at this, vulgar as it was. Neither of them noticed the tall shadow that slowly crept up behind them, until it was looming directly over Ino's shoulder. When Sakura finally locked eyes with the figure, her voice cut off, as her skin turned to a shade of ash. Her eyes were wide, as she began to twitch.

Ino saw this. "Haruno, what's the matter with"-But she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. A low tone rumbled from behind her, and she felt every hair on her head stand on end.

"_Who are you…and why have you disturbed my chambers? Trespassers…trespassers must pay! They must PAY THE PRICE!"_

Ino screamed. It was all she could do, as she leapt forward, tackling Sakura's waist in a fearful hug. The pinkette, surprised by the sudden move-and terrified by the voice-couldn't keep her balance. They both toppled over into a heap on the floor. Now they were completely at the mercy of this-this creature!

**…**

Ino waited. Waited to feel sharp claws tearing at her skin. Waited to feel hot breaths grazing her neck, to feel slimy spit trail down her collar. Waited. Waited. And waited. Her heart was going 150 miles a minute-she was going to explode!

And still nothing.

Then, a familiar drawl of a voice rang out. "Jeez…you two are _so_ sensitive. Can't you take a joke?"

Ino's fear drained, like water in a tub. Her heart, furiously pounding, had now almost stopped completely. It couldn't be…

But it was. There, leaning over them, was none other than the 'missing' English teacher himself, Hatake Kakashi. He gave the girls a light wave. "Hey there. How's it going? Gee, you sure look cozy."

Ino was about to retort with a string of well-aimed curses, when she suddenly felt something shift beneath her. Something soft, round, and warm…and covered in fabric. She heard Sakura's voice, calling her. "Oi. Ino. Not that I really mind this, but…" Slowly, the blonde looked over.

She and Sakura were in a tangled pile upon the floor. Sakura was beneath her, torso upright, resting on propped elbows. Her legs were open, surrounding the blonde, whose head was right against her stomach. One hand was on Haruno's thigh. But the other…was directly atop her right breast. And she was squeezing it.

Both girls were silent. Sakura's face was tinted a light shade of pink-was she actually blushing? Ino's face, on the other hand, was as red as a tomato. If she'd been freaked out before, it was nothing compared to how she felt in this moment. She could feel Sakura's even breaths, could feel the smooth fabric of her red top crinkle beneath her fingers. She could feel the tender flesh under her tips, giving way to her touch. Like squeezing silk balloons.

_W-what the…why isn't-why isn't she pushing me away?_ Ino was waiting to hear the pinkette's cry, to feel her gloved hands angrily yank Ino's away from her body. But the girl said nothing. And that was when Ino realized…

_Wait a minute…w-why am I still holding on in the first place?_

With a scream like that of a strangled wildcat, Ino scrambled backwards, almost crab-walking, just to get away from her perplexed companion. She nearly bumped into a pair of legs, and she remembered. _Him_. Kakashi. He was the reason for all of this! Him and his sick sense of humor! She jumped to her feet, and whirled around. It didn't matter that he was a good few inches taller than her-she shoved her index finger right up against his nose. The bitch switch had been flipped.

"Alright, you cocky jackass! I want some answers, and I want them now!" Both Kakashi and Sakura's eyes widened. Sakura stood up carefully, watching as her partner barreled on. "I don't care if you're a teacher here-you're the worst teacher I've ever known! And you've caused us more grief in one day than any monster over these last few weeks! Now answer me-who _are_ you?"

The blonde was panting. All of her rage and stress, forced down and bottled up tight, had finally come bursting forth. She continued to fume at the silver-haired male, waiting for him to speak. He had to come clean now.

But to her surprise, the man launched into the same speech that he'd given her class that morning! "The name's Hatake Kakashi. I graduated from college. Age, none of your business, birthday"-

"No, no NO!" Ino stomped her foot. "Cut the crap, Kakashi! You know what I mean! How do _you_ know about Sakura?"

Kakashi tilted his head. "Oh…_that's_ what you wanted to know. Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?" Ino wanted to slap him silly. He knew damn well what she'd meant! He was just a smart-ass of the highest degree! She bore into him, blue eyes glaring as fiercely as she could manage, as the male stretched before them.

"You know…I'm still your teacher, whether you like it or not. So, a certain amount of respect is required…_Miss __Yamanaka_." Ino grit her teeth. Was he seriously suggesting that she-

"Alright, alright!" To her surprise, Sakura wormed her way between them. Arms crossed over her chest-at this, Ino had to look away, clutching her nose tightly-she locked eyes with the man. Her green orbs seemed darker than usual as she spoke. "_Kakashi-sensei_…tell us everything. How do you know me? How can you see me? And why are you here?" He blinked. The pinkette growled. "Do it willingly…or I'll make you 'fess up." She reached down, pulling out her black pistol. Kakashi looked down, visible eye just a bit larger than normal now, as she jabbed the weapon into his chest. "Don't think I won't fire this thing-I'm not one to bluff."

"Trust me, Kakashi-_sensei_," Ino broke in, nearly spitting the last line. "If she doesn't shoot you knowingly, it'll happen accidentally. She's a walking, talking time bomb." Haruno glanced over, a slight expression of hurt evident in her features. "Aw, Pig. And here I thought that we had something special." Ino was about to retort, when Kakashi interrupted.

"Okay, okay. You got me. I'll tell you everything. But…" and he reached up, to scratch behind his head, "not here. It's not exactly…private. Let's go somewhere else-outside." He slipped around the black gun, to collect his belongings by the desk. "And put that blasted thing away, will you? You'll shoot your eye out." Sakura huffed, but obliged. At least they were getting somewhere.

**…**

'JINGLE' 'JINGLE' "Ice cream! Ice cream for sale!"

'TMP' 'TMP' "I got the ball! Watch me make this shot!"

"Come on, Fluffy-go do your business already!"

Ino knew that they'd be going outside. She also knew that they'd be going with an adult; her teacher from school. But she'd been hoping that he would have had more dignity and common sense…

"…than to pick a place like this!" The three of them were seated on a bench in the Konoha Community Park, beneath a large oak tree. There were people of all ages around them: babies, little children, parents, the elderly, teenagers-it wasn't exactly the most secluded or private place out there.

Kakashi cast a sheepish smile in her direction, but of course it was hidden by his mask. "Sorry…but I like the park. It's pretty, and peaceful. Great place to read."

"Peaceful?" Ino was sitting to his right, with Sakura leaning over next to her. "Yeah, it's peaceful-if you also consider air-raid sirens to be melodic! This place is as far from peaceful as you can get!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you want your answers or not?" Ino huffed, but ceased with her complaints. Sakura was swinging her legs back and forth above the ground-like a little kid.

Kakashi took a deep breath. "Okay. You know the kingdom of Konohagakure, right?" Sakura nodded. Ino did, too. "They're the ones who sent you down here."

"As punishment…for something stupid." The pinkette stuck out her tongue.

"Yeah…anyway, after they sent you here, they wanted to make sure that you'd live out your sentence properly-you know, don't cause trouble, don't scare the populace, _no hunting_." He emphasized this last part in particular-that's exactly what she had been doing. She rolled her eyes, but said nothing. He continued on. "Well…that's what I'm here for. You see"-

'FWOOM' Ino's ears perked up. What was that? It sounded like a small explosion. She listened for more, but all was silent. Glancing at her two companions, she leaned back against the bench, slouching a bit. Perhaps she was hearing things now? Great; another sign of her insanity.

Kakashi shook his head. "As I was saying, I'm basically a"-

'TING' This time, Ino sat straight up. Sakura did, too. "Did you feel that?" The blonde asked in a low whisper. The pinkette nodded. "Something's close by. And whatever it is…it _ain't_ friendly."

Sakura rose from her seat. "Sorry, Kakashi-san, but this introduction is gonna have to wait. We have business to take care of-big business." The man waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not supposed to let you do this, but…oh, well." Now he and Ino stood up. She looked at him. "Where are you going?"

"Where else?" He flashed another smile, and his lone eye crinkled. "To see you guys in action. Maybe I'll even get to join in on the fun."

Haruno snorted. "Right, right. Just don't get in our way, Gramps." With that, the three of them began running, down the park path, and towards the woods. Thankfully, there was a little hiking trail in there that few people used anymore. It would be deserted-a perfect battlegrounds for them.

Now, only one question remained: What exactly was waiting for them in there?

**…**

'CRNCH' 'CRNCH'

"Mm…smells pine fresh in here."

"Sakura, this is no time to be quoting commercials."

"Yeaaah…pine fresh, with a bunch of lazy dog owners on the side. It smells like crap."

The trio was trying to make their way through the thick trees of the Konoha Park Forest. The foliage had grown quite a bit in the last few years, and now extended over the hiking trail. Ino had to lean over, in order to avoid being scratched by brambles and twigs. What good were miniskirts for school uniforms, anyway? She cursed under her breath, as her foot got caught under an extended root in the ground. She nearly fell forwards-only to feel a pair of secure arms catch under her armpits. Her heart skipped a beat, as she looked up to find Sakura smiling down at her.

"Careful, Pig. Can't have you getting knocked out before the real battle begins, right?" The pinkette winked. "I need you."

_I need you…_those last three words echoed through Ino's mind, as she slowly stood up, making sure not to stumble again. She looked into Sakura's green eyes and noticed that, because of the scenery, they appeared brighter than usual. Like glistening jewels in a cave. Beautiful treasures. She couldn't stop herself this time-the thoughts kept coming.

Fortunately-or not-the bored tone of Kakashi interrupted her train of comparisons. "Oi, hurry up back there-I came out to get shit done, not to babysit." He was already a good few feet ahead of them. How had he managed to keep his balance for so long? The pinkette flipped him the bird, as the two scrambled to catch up.

"Does it seem to be getting…heavier, in here, or is it just me?" Ino gulped, looking up at the sky-or what she could make out of it. They had traveled far beyond the park limits now, and were coming closer to the heart of the woods. The treetops had become thick enough to obscure the sunlight and the clouds from view; it felt more like nighttime, and the shadows seemed to be growing, as Ino swore she'd seen something move on her left, then her right.

'TING' "Oh!" That energy-they were getting close. Sakura coughed. "Of course-they'd just have to choose somewhere like this to hide out. So they don't have to chase after their prey outside. Either that, or they can lure unsuspecting humans in here, just so far, and then…chomp!" She made a gesture with her hands, of a mouth with long teeth biting down. Ino was starting to sweat, but she refused to allow her fear to seep through. She merely responded with a nod.

"Yeah…it's definitely hanging out in this general area." How could Kakashi sound so relaxed at a time like this? Ino wanted to strangle him and scream in his face. She didn't, but the urge was strong. _No matter who-or what-you are, Kakashi-san, there's no way you can't be scared of a demon! It's not possible! You're just a really good actor…_

As they took a few more steps inside, the blonde suddenly froze up. There was a new smell permeating the nearly impenetrable brush-something sweet. Very sweet. Too sweet, in fact-a chemical scent mixed with old candy. It was starting to make her queasy. She looked at the others, for any sign that they were experiencing something similar, but if they were, they weren't showing it. Kakashi was wearing a poker face, while Sakura was still and stoic. Ino felt dizzy-the smell was too powerful.

"AAAH…FRESSSH…FRESH MEAT…" Ino knew instantly that this chilling, hissing tone was the source of the odor. She flinched, as the scent seemed to move, in an almost circular motion-from her left, to her back, and then out from her right. Sakura saw the terror on her partner's face, and rushed to her side. "Pig, what is it? What are you pickin' up on?"

"T-that smell…can't you smell it? It's like-like rotten perfume! A-and…that voice…" The blonde gagged, as the scent became absolutely intolerable. She couldn't hold it back any longer-falling to her knees, she began retching. The faint traces of her lunch came up, and the pinkette rubbed her back reassuringly. "Whatever it is, it's strong. It's affecting her majorly." She drew her silver pistol, Icy, and waited for any sign of movement. Kakashi was looking in Ino's direction, and as she staggered to her feet, she wondered just what he was thinking. Was he wondering about her abilities? _Well, that makes two of us, Mr. Antisocial._ She still had no clue as to his true identity or abilities, as well. But at least she knew her limits-and this was pushing it dangerously close.

'SHFFL' 'POP' "What?" Ino whirled around at the sound, and instantly regretted it. Her head spun, and she nearly toppled over. In a flash, Sakura was by her side. Gripping the girl's shoulders firmly, she looked in the direction that the girl had turned. "There's nothing there…just some bushes, and a flower."

_A…flower?_ Ino forced herself to look up. Sure enough, there it was. It was rather large, for a flower that grew up from the ground. Roughly the size of a rose in bloom, it was an almost neon shade of red, with pale violet at its tips, and orange near the base and up the middle of the petals. She was sure it hadn't been there before…right? She would have-_should have_-seen it. Looking like that? It was impossible not to notice.

'SHFFL' 'SHFFL' 'POP' 'POP' The same sound again. And this time, something else accompanied it-a high, wheezing laugh. Ino felt her skin break out into goose bumps, as the voice spoke once more. "YOU'RE…YOU'RE TRAPPED, NOW…ALL OF YOU…TRAPPED…MY PREY, MY DELICIOUS PREY…"

"Hey, there's more flowers over here!" They seemed to be sprouting everywhere-on the ground, in the bushes, even from the tree trunks. Ino couldn't contain herself anymore. "It-it's surrounding us! It's a trap!"

Sakura unlocked the safety on her gun, swinging up in front of her face. "A trap? What kinda trap? A trap of flowers?" Kakashi said nothing, but Ino could tell-he was scanning all of their surroundings, looking for a sign as to their foe-or perhaps a way out.

'RSTLE' 'RSTLE' "NOW!" Ino screamed, as the ground shook violently. The flowers began to rise around them. All three backed up together, as close as possible, watching as their opponent finally revealed themselves.

Roots were rising from beneath the flowers, as a mass of dirt and leaves grew from the underground. It loomed above them, swaying on legs made of vines-no, more roots! Slowly, the leaves parted, and the mass tilted downwards. Sakura swore. "Fuck! That's one ugly tulip!" Ino choked, as the sickly sweet scent surrounded them once more.

It had the features of a human…but they were distorted. The mouth was swollen, and bruised-like a drowning victim. Its teeth were oversized, sticking out from the gums and over the lips, jagged and yellow. It had no nose, just two misshapen holes in the center of its head. Its eyes were big and bulbous, black with tiny red pupils. As it let out a long breath, a cloud of brown smoke left its mouth, before vanishing into the air. Instantly, Ino felt the smell around her increase. She started coughing, and cupped her hands over her face.

"A…a plant monster…and we're on its home field. Shit!" Sakura aimed her gun, lining it up between the creature's eyes, preparing to fire.

"Look out!" Without warning, it swung one of its gigantic roots in their direction. Kakashi quickly leapt, pushing the girls out of the path. The root narrowly missed them, instead slamming into a nearby tree. It groaned from the force, and there was a loud crackling, as the root returned to its place by the monster's side. With dread in her eyes, Ino saw that the main vines from its body were lined with hundreds of razor-sharp thorns.

"What the hell were you thinking?" It almost frightened Ino, to hear him speak in such a harsh tone. As they climbed to their feet, Kakashi whacked Sakura in the head. "Ouch! What'd you do that for, you old fart?"

"I'm not old, damn it! Now listen to me!" He pointed at the being before them. "That is a Behemoth Bloomer! Its abilities are Earth-based! It's a demon that has taken solace in flora over fauna, but uses dirt to its advantage." He scowled, shaking his head. "Bullets will just bounce off its body, and fire isn't enough-you'd need something like a nuclear explosion to defeat it." He tilted his head up slightly. "Either that, or…"

"Or what?" Sakura was impatient, shoving her gun back in its holster. "What else can we do to kill it?"

"Its heart. Its heart is located somewhere specific on its body. One hit, and this thing'll be down for the count." His eye darkened. "But you can't see the heart-you'd have to be crazy-powerful to find it." He shook his head. "We have to stall it, for now. Until…until we can find some way to take it down."

"Pineapples!" The strange curse made Ino jump. "Alright, alright. Explosions? That I can deliver." Reaching behind her, she hauled down her bazooka. "Come on, Dorchet-show 'im what you've got!" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You _named_ your weapons?"

"Don't judge me!" She cocked the hefty tool on her shoulder, aiming for the center of the flower-creature. The middle of its face. "Eat rocket fuel, you overgrown cactus-butt!" With a 'CLICK', she pulled the trigger.

'BOOM' The rocket flew forwards, slamming directly into the center of the monster's face. With a rumbling roar, it toppled backwards in a cloud of smoke. Sakura pumped her fist in the air, cheering. "Yeah! Sure shot!"

'FWISH' "A-ah!" Ino screamed, as suddenly vines began springing up all around them. In a split second, they had wrapped the two girls tightly, rendering them immobile. Sakura grunted, trying to break free, as 'Dorchet' was tossed to the side. The creature let out a low laugh.

"MY FOOD…CAN'T ESCAPE-CANNOT DEFEAT ME! CAN ONLY…BE FOOD!" It licked its lips with a long, slimy purple tongue. Ino shivered, as it focused its gaze on her. "MMM…SEER…SEERS TASTY…"

"No!" The pinkette began to thrash wildly. "Kakashi-goddamn it, you cowardly prick!" The silver-haired man was nowhere to be found. "Damn-damn it, keep your roots off of her!" In return, the monster sent up a thorny vine in her direction. "SHUT UP! YOU NEXT…" Ino wailed helplessly, as it collided with Sakura from the side. She grunted, and fell silent.

"N-no…" The blonde was shivering, desperately forcing back her tears. "S-Sakura! Sakura! C-come on, billboard-brow-wake up! Please!" Her cries echoed through the brush, as the being drew her closer with its many roots. She gagged again-the smell was awful! And it was even worse up close! She could feel herself losing consciousness. The monster chuckled, opening its jaws wide.

'CRKL' 'CRASH' "Yeek!"

Ino felt herself falling. She was too frightened to open her eyes; she didn't want to have any images flash through her mind during these last moments of her life. She just wanted to die quickly.

'WMP' But instead of being chewed and consumed, Ino found that she had been caught-caught in a pair of arms. Startled, she looked up-to come face to face with Kakashi! He was sweating, and his bandana was lifted.

_W-whoa…is that-is this really Kakashi?_

**A/N: Annnd...ta-da! Yeah, I know-another cliffie. ^^; Please don't be mad. Thankfully, I've managed to get my shit together, and now, I'm on a schedule that works quite well. :) So, next's week's update will not be delayed. Yay!**

**Okay. Hopefully, this was action-packed enough for those of you who have grown fond of the demon hunting, as well as humorous and satisfying. More SakuxIno moments! 'cries happy tears of happy joy' Redundancy alert! But yeah-Ino is starting to grow fond of her pink-haired knucklehead. And Sakura is still determined to bring Ino out of her shell. So, progress for both parties! :D**

**Oh, yeah! How are you guys liking Kakashi's role so far in the story? I'm having fun writing him out-he's one of my fave characters, so it just wouldn't be complete without him around. But let me know if he's starting to sound off, or horribly mutilated at all. I did my best to transfer what I knew of his personality to a romantic/comedic setting, but...I could've messed up. ^^;**

**Next chapter: The battle continues! Sakura refuses to back down, Kakashi shows what's up his sleeves, and Ino...blows everybody away, including herself. And what's this? A shower scene?**

**Reviews and critique are always welcomed and appreciated! Take care, everyone!**

**=^.^=**


	12. SuperPig

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Twelve: SuperPig

"K-Kakashi?"

Ino was too astounded to worry about things like lousy jokes or previous hostility. Her crystal clear blue eyes were transfixed on the man above her. The one with the battered, crimson orb.

Yes-it was red. His iris was a deep shade of vermillion, almost like blood. She could see that there were three black spots, swirling around the center. It was very easy to be hypnotized. Forcing herself to break contact, her gaze instead trailed down, right beneath his eyelid. A long, jagged scar seemed to drip over the skin. On closer inspection, she realized that it also reached up, above his eye and towards the brow.

_What…could have caused something like that?_ Her shock at the lazy teacher's sudden transformation into a tattered hero nearly caused her to forget why he was there in the first place-that he'd just saved her life.

Setting her down gently upon the forest floor, he quickly straightened up, pulling the bandanna down once more. The strange iris and all its trimmings were hidden from view once again. "Sorry…you weren't supposed to see that…" What had happened, to leave him with something like that? And what purpose did it serve?

"Oh!" Her curiosity drained in a flash, as she whipped around. Sakura…she had been hit! The vines had retreated from her body, but she lay still upon the dirt. Rushing over, Ino slid to her knees, trying to revive her. The girl's clothing was shredded, and there were slashes and dirt across her body. "S-Sakura? Come on, forehead-wake up! Wake up! Ohh…" Lifting her hand from the pinkette's side, she was horrified to find it smeared in blood.

"Shit…I-I couldn't do anything…" _She got hurt because of my…my weakness…what good is it being able to see these things, if I-if I can't even fight them?_ Kakashi said nothing, merely staring down at the limp figure. A grave expression was upon his face. Behind them, the plant monster sat motionless on the dirt-but its roots continued to twist and shudder.

"'Cough' H-hey…Pig…don't l-look like that…it's not a good…look for ya…'cough'…" To Ino's surprise-and relief-the girl slowly sat up on wobbly arms. Ino winced-the entire right side of her red top had been ripped away, revealing raw flesh-and blood. Lots of blood. She wrapped her arms around the pinkette's shoulders, hugging her. Sakura said nothing, as Ino began to cry into her short locks. "Oh, Sakura…you stupid fool…I was so worried…you could've gotten killed, because of me…but you still got hurt-"

"Ino. Hey…knock it off. I'm not out yet." She leaned back, giving the blonde a familiar, cocky grin. "Trust me…it'll take a lot more than what this bugger can dish out…before I'll keel over." Reaching into her side pack, she produced a roll of stretchy gauze. With a stained but steady hand, she started wrapping it around her torso. Ino, desperate to help, pulled at the cloth, extending it as far as it would go, and making sure it was tight enough to subdue the blood flow. "Oh, Sakura…"

"Oi. Scarecrow." The pinkette coughed once more, as she staggered to her feet. "What kinda move…did you use on it?"

He tsked at her. "You're halfway to death's door, and still cracking jokes?" He squeezed his right hand, and both girls noticed-the palm was singed. The blonde's eyes bulged. Just what on Earth was he capable of?

"I stunned it. With a Chidori blast. It was the only way I could sever the binds-at least long enough to get Ino outta there." Even in her weakened state, Sakura's eyes widened. "C-Chidori? But, that means…"

"You got it. I'm a member of the Hokage's personal guard: the ANBU. Hatake Kakashi, First Rank Officer, at your service." The humor was cold, but the meaning was clear. Sakura was gaping.

"W-what the hell…why is an ANBU soldier here on Earth?" Kakashi chuckled, raising an index finger, like a professor about to give an important speech. "Well, it's really very interesting. You see, they"-

"RRAAAGH!" The monster was back on its feet-or roots-and ready for another round. In response, Sakura returned her attention to the pack on her side. "Later, Gramps. I got an ass-whooping to deal out."

He shook his head. "Enough with the lousy nicknames already." She held her familiar black gloves in her bruised hands. Slipping them on, she clenched her fists. "Let's go."

"Sakura, are you completely insane?" Yes, Ino knew the answer to her own question. But-this was madness! Beyond madness! She gripped the girl's arm tightly. "You were almost killed! You're still bleeding-I don't even know how far your wounds truly extend! And you plan to go out and fight this thing again?" Ino was frantic. "Please-don't risk it! We'll find another way! Please!" Sakura's expression softened, but her stance remained the same.

"I have to. If I don't, who will? Brag as he might, String-bean over here can't handle it on his own." She gave the blonde a gentle smile. Ino felt her heart skip. "Besides…it's my job to protect you. We're partners in this, remember?" Ino had no words. Her hands slipped down, as the pinkette turned to Kakashi. "Ready?"

He sighed. "About as ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay, then! Make some noise-it's time to bring out the weedkiller!" With a howling battle-cry, the two of them flew back out into the field. Ino could only scurry across, to pick up Sakura's bazooka. Jeez, this thing was heavy. What kind of strength did that girl possess? Wait-never mind.

"Ah, Dorchet…your owner's a complete nutcase." She cast a worried glance to the grounds, as Kakashi was leaping about, dodging roots and vines. Above him, Sakura was dealing out blow after blow to its head-and trying to avoid being slammed herself. She landed upon the forest floor, only to leap up once again. "KYAA! Eat this, you yellow-bellied sapsucker!" 'THOOM'

"But I wouldn't have her any other way."

_Still…how long can they hold out for? Sakura's injured, and Kakashi…I don't think he wants to use his 'Chidori' or whatever again._ She stared out at the field, through the thick trees. _He said…that its weakness was an extreme display of firepower. Which none of us currently have on hand. That, or we'd have to find its heart._ She tapped lightly at the barrel of the weapon. _But he said that you have to be super skilled to locate it…so what can we do to take it out?_

"Waugh!" Her thoughts snapped back to the present moment. She watched in horror, as Kakashi went flying backwards through the trees. They cracked and groaned, as wood splintered and leaves were stripped. She couldn't see him anymore now. How far had he flown? "Kakashi-san?"

"Crud! This thing's tighter than a goddamn virgin clam!" Sakura was still struggling to land a successful punch, and Ino gasped as her eyes fell on the gauze around her middle. It was already soaked through. She dropped the bazooka, rushing forwards. "SAKURA! Get out of there!"

"ARGH!" Sakura hadn't protected her left side. With a mighty slash, she was knocked from the air. She cried out, falling to the ground with a heavy 'TOOM'. Terrified, Ino began to scramble in her direction. But a sudden sensation forced her to stop in her tracks.

'CRSH' "UH-UH-UH…FOOD NO RUN! FOOD…IS FOOD!" The creature had now blocked her path. Sending another flurry of roots towards her, it laughed. "AND FOOD…MUST BE EATEN!" Its eyes gleamed, as the vines began to curl around her statuesque form.

Ino couldn't see anything. She couldn't hear anything, either-just a rhythmic pounding. But it was so loud; it was as if someone had cranked up the volume next to a drum set. She wanted to know where it was coming from, and what it was.

She lifted her head, locking eyes with the monster. By this time, the vines were tightly clutching at her figure. They lifted her up, until she was once again in range to be consumed. This time though, Ino felt none of the previous disgust or fear. It was as if someone were guiding her-to find the source of that sound. That was all that mattered.

"Ugh…" As Sakura sat up from the deep crevice in the ground, and tried to regain her bearings, her eyes landed on the blonde. "INO!" She tried to climb up, but a throbbing pain in her side stopped her. She couldn't stretch out; couldn't climb out from the pit, and save Ino. Her partner. Her Pig. "Ino…Ino! Please-huh?"

And that was when she saw it. The aura.

It was pale blue, like blue electricity, and it was radiating from the girl. She watched, in amazed silence, as it continued to grow. What was happening to her? "I-Ino?"

**…**

"D-damn it…'ptoo'"

Kakashi was stumbling forwards, from a patch of tangled brush. He was covered in dirt and brambles, and there were leaves and twigs hanging from his spiky hair. "H-how can we stop this thing…?"

"Scarecrow!" The cry startled him. He looked out, to see a crater in the ground. Doing his best to move at a quick pace, he kneeled along the edge, and found an excited Sakura shouting up at him. "Ino! It's got Ino! But-but look at her! Just look!" He did.

By now, the aura emanating from her was impossible for them to ignore. The monster seemed to have sensed it, too; it still hadn't chowed down on the girl, as originally planned. "WHAT…WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SEER? SEASONING…?"

_I see it…I see it! There!_ At that moment, Ino's head snapped up. _To the left! Under the petals!_ She could hear it before, and now she could see it, too! It pulsed and thumped, like an entire drum set on maximum volume. It was swollen, with distinct veins running to and fro.

_The heart. That's its heart!_

And that was when she screamed out. "Kakashi, Sakura! On its left-under the petals! I see the heart!"

Sakura looked at the male. "T-that's impossible! We couldn't see it! So how"-

"There's no time!" He had already pushed his bandanna up once again. Sakura's tongue was tied, as she took in the sight of the mysterious eye. Instantly, she knew. _That eye…it's not his. I don't know how, but…somehow, he received one! But from who?_ _Which one?_

'CRKLE' 'CRSSH' She forced herself to ignore the desire to put her discovery into words, as bright blue and white electricity began to gather in Kakashi's right hand again. "The Chidori," she breathed out in awe. And then she saw where he was aiming it.

"No! You bastard! It's too risky! Don't shoot-you'll hit her, too!" Sakura struggled to grasp his hand, to stop him. But he wouldn't back down. "It's now or never! I have a shot-and I'm taking it!" With a loud cry, he aimed the ball of crackling energy-and released it.

"YOU FOOD…NOW I EAT YOU!" And just as Ino was about to be dropped into its jaws for the second time-

'BOOM' "AAAIIIEEEGH!" It flew backwards, its body disappearing as it did so. Ino squealed, as the vines holding her vanished in a hiss of smoke and lightning. She felt the air rushing all around her, as she shot to the ground. She tried to tuck in her head and legs-but she knew that even then, from this height…she was going to die on impact!

_We g-got the monster…but I'm still earthworm food! _She waited for the crash.

**…**

"K-Kakashi!" Sakura found herself shouting at him with a hoarse throat. That was all she could do, watching helplessly as Ino plummeted towards the earthen ground.

"Don't worry." With a jolt of a spring, he shot forwards, managing to slide across and catch the girl in his arms, for the second time. He let out a deep breath, as the pinkette gave him the thumbs up. "Safe!"

"…mm?" Ino's blue eyes began to flutter, as she slowly slipped back into consciousness. Was she in Heaven, or Hell? What would she see?

But to her immense surprise, when she came to, there above her was the sweaty-but very much alive-face of her teacher. "K-Kakashi…san?" Her voice sounded strained and foreign. She'd done way too much screaming today. Her throat could seriously use a rest. He nodded, leaning back. As she sat up, she saw no trace of the monster. The clearing was exactly as it should have been-clear, filled only with the natural foliage of the Earth. She smiled, then winced-looks like she hadn't gotten out of this one entirely scrape-free. Oh, well.

_Wait a minute-Sakura!_ She squirmed in Kakashi's hold, and wound up on her back in the dirt. Paying it no mind, she rose to her feet, running for the crater. No matter if her entire body ached. Sakura was still in there! _She needs me!_

_A-and I…_

Her feet skidded to a stop before that thought was finished. Kneeling down, she stuck out her arms, and was overjoyed to see the pinkette staring back up at her. Although she was soaked in blood and dirt, there was a huge, triumphant grin on her face. "Hey, Pig. How's it feel to be taller than me…for once?" She let out a weak chuckle.

"Oh, you…you idiot! Billboard brow!" Ino couldn't help it-she started to cry. Her joy was overflowing-they were alive, bruises and all. Kakashi sat down next to her, and together they pulled the wounded warrior out of the pit.

It had most certainly been a long day. And it wasn't over yet.

**…**

"Oh, man…"

Ino and Sakura had finally arrived back home. After a long day dealing with a new teacher, who had now also become their new comrade-in-arms, a new monster, and new holes in their clothes, they had returned to the warm comforts of the tidy little two story house.

"Mom isn't here…typical." Ino furrowed her brow, rubbing at the scratch on her cheek. She received a quick sting of pain in response. Oh well. It made things easier. Without her mother around, Ino didn't have to worry about hiding Sakura's presence. And, she was free to do as she wished. Namely, running the water and having a good, long soak in the tub. Her heart was almost singing at the prospect.

But as her feet ascended the stairs, she heard Sakura call out to her, in an uncharacteristically soft voice. "Um…Pig?" She stopped walking up, turning to look at her companion. "Yeah?"

"Well, I was wondering-and please, don't freak out on me! I know it might sound weird. But…" Ino tilted her head. What was she trying to say?

"Could you, I don't know…help me take a bath?" The pinkette was toeing at something on the floor-perhaps a line in the wooden paneling. Ino's face flushed a vibrant cherry. "W-what? Why?" _Is she trying to pull something here? Why would she ask something like __**that**__?_

"It's 'cause…well, the wounds." Ino's face softened. That's right-she'd almost forgotten about the blows that the girl had received in battle. They were deep, and probably needed stitches. Although she'd told her not to worry, she had noticed that the girl's movements were far more restricted now. And she didn't stretch. So…

"I…I don't think I can reach my back. I'm not even sure about my hair." Obviously, the girl wasn't getting any kind of pleasure from this; it wasn't a joke. She really needed Ino's help. And who was she to turn her away? She let out a long sigh. This was going to be so awkward, but…"Alright. Come on up."

Sakura gave her a smile. It was softer than usual, and made her look nearly…vulnerable. It was an unusual sight to see, as she padded across the short distance, to follow behind the blonde.

And so, instead of having that long, luxurious soak all on her own, Ino found herself wrapped in a towel, seated on the edge of the tub. Her toes brushed the surface, as Sakura sat below her, immersed in the warm water-and completely nude. Ino tried her best not to look, as she reached across for the soap bottle. And Sakura seemed to understand this, for once; she had her legs drawn up partway, and leaned forwards, as Ino applied a foamy rag to the wounds on her side.

"Ah!" She let out a sharp hiss. "It burns…" Ino did her best to be as gentle as possible, scooping up water with her hands to wash away the residue every few minutes, then reapplying the suds. It was important to sanitize the cuts, but…she didn't want the girl to be uncomfortable.

It was a strange experience, the blonde had to admit. A while back, she wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere near the pinkette in a bathroom, wounds or not. But now, it was as if some unseen barrier had fallen away from between the two of them. They were equals, partners. Sakura had risked her life to save Ino's, more than once. And Ino was beyond grateful. Hopefully today, she'd repaid some of that debt she owed to the crazy girl.

_Yeah, she's crazy._ Ino didn't know anybody out there quite like this girl. No one nearly as wild, as strong, as quirky, or as courageous. Sure, sometimes she was annoying-and at other times, she caused her fair share of problems. But all in all, Ino knew…that she never did or said anything with malicious intent. She could be sarcastic and stubborn. But never cruel. Not even when they'd first met.

"Hey…Ino?" The girl was surprised to see Sakura looking up at her. Her cheeks were tinted light red, and her green eyes seemed murky. Perhaps it was the heat in here. Ino squeezed the rag, preparing to run it over the pinkette's back. "Yeah?"

"Thank you." They were just two words, so short and simple. But hearing them was enough to make Ino's heart start pounding again. She hoped that Sakura couldn't see this, couldn't see how anxious she had suddenly become. As the girl turned away, all Ino could think about was the thudding in her chest. Sakura's words still echoed in her head-not just the ones recently exchanged, but all of them: every single instance that had sent the blonde into a state of frenzy.

"_Thank you."_

"_Besides…it's my job to protect you. We're partners in this, remember?"_

"_H-hey…Pig…don't l-look like that…it's not a good…look for ya…"_

"_Pineapples!"_

"_Aw, Pig. And here I thought that we had something special."_

_"I want…I want to see the fire. The fire…I want to see it…please…"_

So many memories, in just this short amount of time…Ino could see every single one, as clear as day. Older ones, too-like when they first met. All the insults, and bizarre curses. At first, she'd been embarrassed to have this alien living with her. That's what she'd call her: the alien. But now, Sakura seemed far more human than anyone else she knew. But why?

_**Because…she's the only person who you've allowed inside. She's seen you at your best and worst, ups and downs. And she hasn't pushed you away. She cares for you.**_ Ino gulped.

_S-so…what does this mean?_ She dragged the wet cloth slowly, over the back of Sakura's neck, taking in every detail. The tone, the impressions, the…"Hm?" Then she saw it. Just a bit lower…a long scar. The blonde felt herself shudder. It had to have been at least five inches. And from how coarse it appeared…it must have been deep.

_How long…has she been fighting?_ Looking to her right, she saw another scar-like claw marks, in the pinkette's shoulder. And there was another one, further down her spine.

_Will…with this one leave a scar as well?_ Ino didn't know. Probably. Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever the outcome, though…

Her heart was so loud. Without any warning, Sakura felt a pair of arms wrap lightly around her neck. "Uh? Ino, what are you doing?"

Ino didn't answer. She sat there, breathing in and out, feeling the girl's bare flesh beneath her own. A single thought echoed through her mind:

_Sakura, I __**will **__take care of you. And some day…__**I'll**__ be the one to protect __**you**__._

She opened her blue eyes, still in her trance…

…and found herself staring straight down into the middle of the pinkette's cleavage. 'BUMP' her heart was ready to burst forth from her chest.

Okay. So, she was still easily flustered around her. And she was still a prude.

But at least they were friends now.

**…**

"Ah, yes! See what a shower and good night's sleep can do?"

It was morning, and Ino was once again trooping off to school. In tow, as always, was Sakura, who seemed to have at least recovered her energy, if not her flexibility. The pinkette was grinning, weapons gleaming under the freshly risen sun. Argue as she might, Ino could not convince her to save the polishing for later.

"Dorchet was involved, too! He took some hits, man! It's his turn to be pampered." Ino had finally given in, realizing that her logic wouldn't win here. "Do what you like." They were her guns, after all. And it was important for her to get some kind of movement in her arms, since she couldn't raise them above her head. Of course, this hadn't stopped her from lugging that heavy bazooka back up onto her back.

They reached the building, and, as usual, the students were milling about outside. The blonde made her way through the crowds, heading for the entrance. As she walked up the stairs, she heard a voice call out. "Yo! Blondie!" It was Kiba, sitting on one of the railings, and trying to look cool while he waited for his girlfriend. At his side was Shikamaru, who responded to Ino with a short "Hey." She waved back at both of them, and added an extra outstretched tongue for the dog lover. He in turn chuckled, swatting his hand to say he didn't care. She rolled her eyes, and stepped inside.

Somehow, things seemed clearer today. More familiar. Resolved. As if some kind of weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Ino stopped at her locker, grabbing a couple of textbooks before slipping into homeroom. She sat down in the last seat at the top row, next to the window. As per usual, Sakura took her place on the floor, looking outside at the various morning activity.

Yes, today was shaping up to be a great day.

…at least, until she'd have to return to English. She groaned inwardly. Whether or not Kakashi was a good fighter, that didn't excuse him from being a mediocre teacher. Hopefully, yesterday's little 'field trip' had pounded some sort of work ethic into his head. Especially if he was hiding out here. He had to look convincing, right?

The day went by at a relatively speedy pace. In no time at all, Ino was seated in Kakashi's room, waiting to see if he'd changed his tune.

The man didn't show up until nearly ten minutes after the tardy bell. _Not_ a great start. He sat down at his desk, scanning over the students. His eye lingered on Ino, and she raised her eyebrows. Sighing, he reached down, pulling out a desk drawer. When he finished fiddling around inside, his hand held…

…a copy of their textbooks.

_Yes!_ Ino had never been so happy to do classwork before. "Alright you guys," he drawled, "turn to page…fifty-nine, I believe? Read the story, and…answer the questions. That's your job for today." And before anyone could ask about group readings or discussion, he had his little orange porno out, and his nose was buried. Ino sighed, as Sakura let out a soft snicker.

Looks like _some_ things were _impossible_ to change.

**A/N: Annnd...ta-da! How was that? :D**

**Just like I promised, another update! Hope you all enjoyed it! The fighting sequence was a bit of a gamble-I'm trying to keep three, maybe four things in check all at once! The SakuxIno moments, Kakashi, the battle itself-and abilities! Let me know if the backstory and ending were fitting or muddled. I do my best. ^^;**

**And also-the shower scene! XD Okay, so it wasn't quite what you'd expect. But I thought...that the girls had made enough progress to at least be able to call each other friends. Now it's all a matter of time, to see where it leads on to...**

**Next chapter: Ino and her mother, Sakura's emotions, a day off, and-whoa! An unexpected face from the past! See you soon!**

**=^.^=**


	13. I Don't Care if You Don't

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

I Don't Care If You Don't

"Ouch…"

It was another sunny morning. Ino stood in front of the mirror in her room, pulling her long hair back into its usual ponytail. The difference with today was that it wasn't a school day; it was the weekend. So, she had the whole day to goof off, and just have fun.

Next to her stood Sakura. She was still recovering from her injuries gained in their last battle. Although the wound was healing, it was still rather open and raw. But at least the bleeding had become more infrequent. The blonde turned around, to face her companion. "What is it?"

The pinkette grinned guiltily, tugging at the collar of her red top. "I stretched too far again…that's all." She watched, as Ino began tsking at her, as per usual. The girl had become like a mother hen, monitoring Sakura's care. "I told you-you're not a superhero! So you need to take it easy!" Heading for the door, she smoothed out the edge of her shorts, before stepping out into the hall. She made her way to the bathroom, to find the antiseptic. Sakura followed her.

"Come on, Pig-I'm not a freaking China doll! You really don't need to…" but she trailed off, realizing that her protests were futile against the determined blonde. She could only watch in silence, as she searched through the medicine cabinet with a quick hand.

The wounds weren't the only thing still on her mind from their last fight, though. There was one other notable item that had stuck out for the pinkette, as well. And it was right in front of her.

Ino.

_How was she able to locate that sucker's heart?_ Sakura pondered this, while the blonde began setting up the necessary supplies to dress her injuries again. Ino had the Sight, yes-but this? This was getting freaky. At this rate, Ino could very well become a…

_Is she?_ Her green eyes lingered on the teen, as a bottle slipped from the shelf, and clattered into the sink. She grumbled under her breath, before picking it up and placing it back inside. Closing the cabinet with a soft 'CLICK', she returned her attention to Sakura. "Alright, you know the drill." She turned her back, as the pinkette began slowly lifting up her shirt. Ino faced her once more, and-just as she'd thought, that small overexertion had strained the fragile skin. A light bloodstain was beginning to seep through the gauze. "Okay, help me remove this." Groaning, Sakura did as requested.

_Gee…I never knew that Ino could be so…caring._ Although the constant changing was annoying, she couldn't help but feel comforted by all the attention that the blonde was giving to her care. It was surprising, really-from the way she acted sometimes, the pinkette was sure that she'd hated her. _Guess she's not as predictable as I pegged her to be._

"Okay, now hold still." Ino began shaking the bottle of antibacterial spray, and Sakura pressed her hand into the girl's shoulder. Ino twitched; it was what she did every time she applied the solution. It stung a bit, especially since the lacerations were so deep. But that didn't mean that she'd gotten any more used to the contact. Removing the cover to spray it over the battered flesh, she heard Sakura inhale sharply, and felt her hand give her shoulder a firm squeeze. Replacing the cap, the girl let go, and for a brief moment, Ino actually missed the contact. It was a strange cycle: uncomfortable, then longing. She had no idea why. Perhaps it was because she'd become so protective of the stubborn female, after seeing her so bruised and bloody.

_All for my sake…_gulping quietly, Ino picked up the roll of bandages from the counter, and started to unroll it. Handing the remainder to the pinkette, she began to stretch it over the exposed flesh, around and around. Sakura kept her chin pressed down now, into her collar. She was trying to keep her shirt both up in place, as well as draped over her bra. Ino had a tendency to freak out over stuff like that.

"And…there. Now, I just have to tape it up…" in the days that she'd been doing this; about a week since then, she'd gotten adept at measuring the exact amount of gauze she'd require for the width of the pinkette's middle and sides, as well as breaking off the tape without losing her grip on the end. Pressing it firmly in place, she let go, and Sakura was able to lift her head. Watching her red tank fall back over her stomach, Ino felt a sudden pang in her heart. Had this girl ever experienced anything other than the sensations of combat?

She distracted herself with the task of returning everything back into the cabinet. She wouldn't ask that-no way. It was too personal. And besides, she was probably wrong in her assumptions anyway. She must've had parents. _It would be interesting to meet them,_ the blonde mused. _Meet the people who created her-her and all of her quirks._

"Pig? You ready?" Ino realized that she'd been standing in front of the sink, staring at the empty countertop. Offering a nod and a hurried apology, they left the bathroom, and bounded down the stairs.

"Ino? Is that you?" The girl froze. Her mother was at the dining table. Cursing herself for being so noisy, she trooped obediently into the kitchen.

Yamanaka Akane looked something like her daughter, only a lot older, and more worn. Her hair was blonde too, but it was starting to show a few hints of grey here and there. It was also cut short, in a bob that framed her high cheekbones. Her eyes were blue, but they weren't as vivid and light as Ino's. They were darker-and murkier too. Like an old pool. Underneath, they were rimmed with heavy bags, while the corners were checkered with Crow's feet. Ino fidgeted in place, as she stood before her.

"You got anything to do today, hon?" The girl flinched, hearing that particular moniker pass her mother's lips. She was obviously sober right now, a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. They were weathered with various scars-she'd been an avid worker in the flower shop before, constantly planting and transplanting and trimming all manner of flora. How long ago those memories seemed…they existed in a whole other timeframe, another world entirely. A world where another Akane lived, smiling and cheerful, with a green thumb and a wedding band.

This woman that sat before her was nothing but a mere shadow of what once had been. To hear her say such things-it only reminded Ino of what had been lost. She took a deep breath before replying. "No, not really. I was just going to go out and…enjoy the sunshine, I guess." She hated how strained and phony the words sounded. Like they were from a script for some film that was made for TV. Complete with the lousy effects and cheese-tastic performances.

But it wasn't a movie. It was her life. And no monster could compare to the fear she felt now, standing in front of this stranger.

Sakura looked on, from Ino to her mother and back again. She could feel the tension in the air, and it was starting to make her sweat. She hoped that they'd finish talking soon.

"I'm not feeling well. I need you to watch the shop." Inwardly, Ino screamed. She wanted to snap, to shove her nose right in her mother's face, to tell her straight up, "You're not sick-you have a goddamn hangover! You're not even home most of the time to see me anyway, and when you are, it's only to bitch and moan, or get me to do your work! You're not a mother at all!"

Instead, she simply nodded. "Alright. How long?"

"Until closing." She took a long sip from her cup. Ino's stomach tightened into knots-that meant that she'd be behind the counter well into the afternoon. She glanced at the clock on the oven-10:20am. _Shit._ "Fine. I'll go now." With a swift turn of her heel, Ino headed for the front door. Slipping her feet into a pair of sneakers, she unlocked the door, and stepped into the outside world.

"Pig…?" Sakura tried to keep up, as the blonde stormed around the corner of the building and into the greenhouse. Past the rows of potted plants, the packets of seeds for sale, the different fertilizers and the closet of cleaning supplies, to the door that led to the main entrance. Passing through it, she yanked up a faded apron that lay on a pile of plastic crates, pulling it over her head in one swift motion. Shaking out her long hair, she flipped over the sign on the glass door that said 'Closed'. Now, it read 'Open'. Tying the threads behind her back, she snapped the barrier on the counter shut, and sat down at the skinny wooden stool behind the register.

Neither girl spoke. Ino had her chin pressed into her palm, and her elbow was digging into the top of her knee. She ignored the irritating jab, blue eyes hard as she stared, unblinking, out at the sunlight that filtered in through the shop windows. Sakura looked up, and realized that this place hadn't been used in quite some time. She could see the particles of dust that fluttered through the stale, musky air. It was like being in a damp cave. Not even the sun could reach it.

The pinkette glanced over at her mute companion. She was stone-faced, still focused straight ahead. It was almost frightening, to see her so beaten. Trying to break through the bitter shield that had settled upon her, Sakura cleared her throat. "So…how long has this shop been in your family?"

"Since before I was born. From my mom's side." It didn't even look like Ino's lips had moved, as she spit out the reply. Sakura decided to try again. "Do you…like flowers, Ino?"

"Used to." Her eyes narrowed. "But they only remind me-that beauty never stays. Just like love. It wilts away." Her jaw was clenched tightly.

"Umm…what kinds of flowers did you like?" The pinkette was really grabbing at straws here. But she had to try something. She couldn't stand this-seeing Ino so depressed and withdrawn made her want to do something drastic, just to get her to wake up again. Hell, she'd rather have the girl yell at her; call her every name in the book, over this!

"All kinds. I used to be good at arranging them in bouquets." She finally shifted, turning her head to look at her prying partner. "Why do you care so much about all this?"

"B-because…" Sakura's throat was dry. What could she say? Because she wanted Ino to cheer up? She may as well have just sung in her face "Cheer up, Emo kid!" And that wasn't flattering at all.

But then…what was the truth?

"Because-I want to know about you. We're partners, right?" Ino blinked. She felt something snap inside, at hearing this simple and innocent question.

"You wanna know about me? Okay-I'll tell you. I'm the daughter of an alcoholic who couldn't give two shits whether or not he came home. He drank himself to death, in a bathroom stall." Sakura's eyes widened, as Ino pushed on. Her voice was raw and jagged, like a poisonous blade.

"He didn't care about his family, didn't care that he had a business, or a wife, or a kid. Then, she has to start planning the funeral. And I can't even remember a damn thing about him. So, she looks me in the eye and says I'm a horrible child for not crying. Not caring about a man who didn't care about me. I was fucking nine years old.

"So, she starts drinking her life away, too. And the kid grows up alone. Nobody wants to hear about a sad girl. Nobody wants to hear about your feelings, your story. So she starts bottling it all up. She doesn't tell anybody anything. And when she does, it's only to make a smart remark-because it's all she has left. She's a bad kid, right? She may as well live up to it."

By this time, Ino was crying. Sakura was staring, in a shattered silence, as she watched the blonde unravel before her eyes.

"I hate my life. You know, on the day that you showed up, I was actually thinking-that nobody would care if I were to die. It's not like anybody needs me. I'm just"-

'WHUMP' She was cut off in mid-sentence. Her heart nearly stopped.

Sakura had thrown her arms around the blonde, and was now holding her tightly. Ino's head was against her shoulder, and she felt the pinkette shudder.

"Pig…please don't say that. Don't ever say that again. Trust me-you would be m-missed." Now she was trying not to cry, as the words struggled to form, to make their way out of her mouth. It was as if she were being strangled.

"Y-you may think…that your mother doesn't love you…but she does. I-I know she does." Before Ino could flare up and protest, the girl continued on. "I-it's probably just as hard on her as it is on you. S-she's just…dealing with it the only way she knows how." Sakura bit down hard on her tongue. "A-and it may not be the best way, and it m-may hurt her, but…everybody makes mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes." Ino listened, shocked at this outpouring of emotion and support from her bizarre companion. Where was it all coming from?

"A-and…it's up to you, to help her. E-even if-even if she said…those things to you, she's still your mother. She was-she was whole once. But it takes two…to put the pieces back together. Okay?" Ino couldn't respond, couldn't come up with anything to say. Not a retort, not an agreement-not even a grunt. She was truly speechless. How could Sakura-the alien bounty hunter with the pink hair and oversized brow-know things like this? Say these sorts of things?

As soon as it had begun, it was over. Sakura had released the blonde, and was now at the windows, back turned. Ino tried to move, and gain some semblance of thought back into her body. She undid the apron knot behind her, and threw the garment off onto the floor.

"S-Sakura!" The pinkette twitched-apparently, she didn't want to look over at the moment. Ino forced herself to continue on. "L-let's go out! Go out today! Okay?"

This time, she faced the girl. "Don't you have work to do?" Her face was oddly deep and shadowed, and for a moment Ino thought that she'd become a completely different person. But in another second, she was the Sakura that Ino had come to know: wide eyed and curious.

"I-I'll close up the shop! It's not like Mom will come and check on me, anyway!" She rushed for the entrance, once more flipping the sign over, back to 'Closed'. She pushed open the glass door. "P-please." Her blue eyes begged, pleaded with Sakura to stop asking questions, and just run. Run away.

Run away with her.

Strangely enough, the thought of running away with Ino made the pinkette's heart seem lighter than air. Clutching at the door handle, she slipped through the entrance with the girl.

_Yes. Run away. Run away. Run far away. Far away, where nobody and nothing can ever find us. Run away, to our own world._

_Run away…with Ino._

**…**

"…I see…hmm…"

On a nearby rooftop, an unknown figure stood, watching the two figures as they bolted down the street. Pale lips twisted up, into an almost sneering grin. Sea-green eyes, nearly drowning in pitch-black circles, followed them, as a cold chuckle escaped his throat.

"So, this is where you've been hiding, huh? My Rival…my toxin…" A thin stream of what appeared to be brown smoke seemed to seep upwards, swirling around his form and thickening. Darkening. It wasn't smoke at all-it was sand. Hundreds of thousands of who knew how many grains of sand, oozing out from behind his form. It engulfed him, as he slowly disappeared from view…

"I have found you at last…and this time, you will not escape. You broke my heart…now I'm going to return the favor-by breaking your spine."

As the last traces of sand faded away, a last string of words echoed in the wind:

"I will win- I will show you who's willing to go all the way…and who is the true Hunter!"

**…**

"Here you go."

"Thank you!"

The two girls had made their way into the city, and were now at a snack shop. Ino headed for the door, a plastic bag in hand. She'd picked up a couple cans of soda, along with some sweet and sour candy. The bell over the door jingled, as she pulled it open. Standing outside was Sakura. Her face lit up in a childlike grin, as Ino raised the bag up triumphantly. "I got the goods!"

"Sweet! Let's go get the munchies!"

They sat in the park a short while later, eating from the packages of candy and taking sips from their cans. The day was turning into a humid affair, with the previous breezes seeming to have been sucked up by the heat. The soda was refreshing, as it slid down their throats. Not just against the temperature-it was an antidote for the open conversation they'd had earlier, and the words that had forced their way from each other's mouths.

"'Urp' 'Scuse me." Ino had to giggle, as the pinkette let out another burp. "Whoo! Note to self: you can't chug cola without having something end up in your nose." She belched once more. "Pardon me. But that tasted much better going down than coming up." The blonde groaned, laughing as she replied. "Oh, gross, Forehead!" Sakura grinned in response. "I can belch out my 1,2,3's in Japanese. Wanna hear it?" As juvenile an act as it was, Ino agreed to listen. It felt so natural today-sitting with Sakura, under a tree in the park. Today, the pinkette wasn't hiding, so Ino was free to talk to her as much as she wished. And she did. Really.

"Hope no one can see these guys…" The two of them were seated firmly atop Sakura's bazooka and pistols, still in their holders. Usually, Dorchet provided the finishing blow against their opponents. Today, he was a bench. The girls had their legs stretched out length-wise, to try and shield him from view. "If anyone sees 'im, just say "These aren't the droids you're looking for!" That had been the pinkette's tip for nosy busybodies. Again, Ino had cracked up.

She realized then, just how much easier things were in that moment. She wasn't worried about appearances, being cool or modern. She could talk about anything with Sakura. She was so weird-

_No. She's not weird._ Ino's blue eyes softened, as Sakura croaked out the last number in her burp-a-liscious belch-a-thon. _She's unique. She's funny. She's understanding._

_She's special._

The girl grinned, focusing her attention on the spaced-out blonde. "Hey, Ino! What kinda talents do you have?"

Ino shook her head quickly, coming to. "Talents? Like what?"

"You know: burping the alphabet, walking on your hands, crab dancing, imitations-that sort of thing!" She flashed her trademark cocky grin. Was she trying to challenge her? "I can burp in three different languages!"

"Um, well…" Ino frantically wracked her brain, trying to find something to contribute. This wasn't the kind of thing she'd engage in with anyone else-most of the people she knew didn't like random stuff like this. As she bit her lip, afraid she might have to forfeit, she suddenly remembered.

"Okay-I think I have one." Sakura leaned forwards, knees touching, and her green eyes sparkling like an ocean of glittering emeralds. Ino had to catch her breath before she spoke again.

"Well, there was an old TV series that used to play-it was called 'I Dream of Jeanie'. It was about some guy who had freed a genie from a bottle-I think he might have been in the Army, or maybe he was a businessman?" The blonde tilted her head, confused. Sakura waved her hand dismissively. "The details don't matter! Go on!"

Ino shrugged, the spark returning as she continued. "Anyways, when he released her, she would grant him whatever he wanted-you know about genies, right?" The pinkette nodded. "Okay, well, for some reason, I think he had more than the usual three wishes. So, she'd use her powers to help him out in his daily life, and usually it would cause problems." Ino chuckled. "I can't believe I'm sharing this with you. I haven't done this since childhood."

Sakura was smiling, eager to see what Ino had to show. "So? Go on-I'm liking this!"

Ino giggled. "Alright. Well, when Jeanie would grant a wish, she would cross her arms, and crack her hair like a whip while saying "Your wish will be granted!" or "As you wish, Master!" Something like that. She had long blonde hair, in a high ponytail. Like this." The girl grinned in guilty admission. "Well, as a kid, I used to-to copy that. She had a certain way of throwing her head forwards, so her hair didn't fly all over the place. I kept trying, and after some time-and a few sore necks-I finally got it. I don't know if I still have it, though." Her cheeks were flushed red, from embarrassment-she'd never told anyone that she used to watch old sitcoms as a child. She would've been considered a total nut if she'd shared it with anyone at the high school!

It had been a secret interest of hers-but she'd hidden it away shortly after her father's death. She banished the thought from her mind, keeping herself rooted in the present instead. And she liked it that way.

Sakura's grin nearly threatened to take over her entire face. She was practically jumping up and down on the bazooka. _Poor Dorchet_, Ino thought to herself, before realizing: _Wait-am I actually feeling sympathy for a blooming bazooka?_

"Do it! Do it, Ino-Pig! I wanna see!" The pinkette's inner child had been unleashed. She was clapping her hands, urging the blonde on, like a spectator at a sport's game. "I-no! I-no! I-no Pi-ig! You can _do_ it!" Ino had to roll her eyes then-that line was so old! "Do you guys get TV or something out there?"

Sakura rubbed the back of her neck. "Sometimes. I didn't always get a chance to watch it, though." She returned her attention to Ino, eager to see her 'talent'. "Go on, Pig! If it's from you, I'm sure it's awesome!" Ino felt her heart skip once more, before she finally gave in to the girl's demands. "Okay, but I'm warning you-I haven't done this in years." She folded her arms across her chest, pressing the palms flat into the sides while the fingers wrapped around them. She sat up, straight as a board.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke. "As you wish…so shall it be!" Her blue eyes flashed open. She lowered her head, and quickly whipped it around with a flourish, blonde ponytail swinging over her head and around, landing behind her shoulders once more. Not a single hair had been out of place.

The pinkette was clapping frantically. "Woo-hoo! That was great! You still got it, Ino!" The blonde proceeded to bow, extending her arms outwards with the elbows bent and the palms up flat. As if she'd just performed on a stage. "Thank you, thank you! No, really-you're too kind!" She was completely hamming it up.

_I've never had this much fun before! At least…not recently._ Ino felt her heart pounding, as she gazed at the girl who sat next to her. This stranger, who had invaded her life so suddenly-and changed everything so dramatically.

It was almost as if they'd known each other for ages; she could barely remember her life before the pinkette. Her affectionately named weapons. Her bold, brazen nature. Her penchant for mischief, and her adoration of all things uncommon. Her insane accuracy. Her bottomless well of energy. Her desire to see Ino smile…to laugh…

_To be free…_her mind drifted back, to the night in the cemetery, and the morning after-and before those, the day on the track field, when they'd first encountered Hikari. _Was that what she'd meant all this time? That she was trying…to release me?_

Ino stared, in absolute wonder at the pinkette. At first, she'd thought that Sakura was a completely unstable freak, who had no respect for boundaries or authority, and had no common sense. But as she focused more and more, she had discovered…that this girl had layers. She wasn't stupid. She wasn't a freak. She knew what she was doing. This whole time...she'd been trying to help her.

She was a psycho savant. And Ino wouldn't have had her any other way.

The blonde leaned forward. Her heart was loud in her chest, beats reverberating in her ears, as she locked eyes with Sakura. Her green eyes flickered with interest and surprise. "Pig? Is…something wrong?"

_No…nothing's wrong, Sakura. In fact, for the first time, everything feels…right._ She leaned closer, a soft smile playing upon her parted lips. The pinkette gulped-Ino looked so beautiful. In that moment, Sakura knew that she'd never seen anyone look as perfect as she did, all traces of her previous anguish gone. Nobody and nothing could compare to this. She leaned forwards as well, as if being pulled by a magnet. Their lips were inches away from each other.

"Well, well. How cozy." Instantly, the mood was broken. Sakura's skin turned ashen, and her head snapped up. It couldn't be. That voice! It just wasn't _possible_! _He_ couldn't possibly be here! Not _here_! And definitely _not now_!

Ino's brow furrowed, as she took in the fear upon the pinkette's face. What was going on? What had caused it? She turned her gaze to the left-and let out a small gasp.

Sakura scrambled to her feet. "You!" Her tone was seething and vitriolic. "Why are you here?"

This figure…was beyond trouble.

He was _death_.

**A/N: Wewt! Hooray for Christmas! XD**

**In the spirit of the holidays, I have decided to update early, just for you all! Merry Christmas! 'hugs' Sorry for the lack of humor, though...^^;**

**Yeah, from this point on, the story is about to become far more tense and dramatic. Mainly because a LOT of future showdowns are in the works. ;p What they are though, I cannot say. But I can only hope that they will satisfy.**

**Not really sure what I was thinking when I scripted this particular chapter. I was kind of in a bad mood...^^; But as I continued writing, it began to lessen. And here we are now. Anyone want to give a guess as to who the new mysterious figure is? (It's so obvious.) As for the 'I Dream of Jeanie'...no clue. Abso-frickin-lutely no clue at all. Take it or leave it, I suppose...**

**Next time: All hell breaks loose. Ino, Sakura, Akane, Kakashi, the stranger-they're all about to be chewed up and spit out by the roller coaster of life. And the breaks are broken, too. :O See you then.**

**=^.^"=**


	14. Exes and Axes

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Exes and Axes

"You dirt-laden maggot! How the hell did you find me here?! And why?!"

Sakura was on her feet, green eyes blazing with a fury that Ino had only seen on the battlefield. And even then, those moments were nothing compared to her rage here and now. Her hands were clenched up tight, and the blonde could tell instantly-she'd reverted back to her invisible state.

The male before them smirked, and the expression sent a sharp chill down Ino's spine. Just who was this guy? "I have my ways. And besides…I just wanted to see you one last time-_lover_." This final word was spoken with a sneer, and Ino felt the color drain from her face. The joy and freedom from earlier were gone now, completely evaporated. In their place were fear, confusion-and hurt. For some strange reason, Ino felt as if she'd been betrayed.

"Don't call me that, you sicko! You know damn well that we've been apart for who knows how long! So cut the dramatics of a broken heart, and get on with your explanation, _Gaara_!" In return for his treatment of the previous term of affection, she spat out his name, with all the venom of a rattlesnake. Ino slowly took in his appearance.

He had short, spiky red hair-no, not just red. Blood red. His eyes were a light shade of green, lighter than Sakura's. She swore she saw some blue mixed in them, too. They were lined with what she at first thought to be makeup, but soon realized that they were bags; obviously, this guy hadn't slept in a long time. There was a tattoo upon his forehead, to the left-it was red, and a kanji symbol. It took her a few moments to decipher exactly what it said: love. How ironic.

He was clad in a deep red top-was it a robe?-with matching pants. A grey sash-was it a sash? Ino had no clue-was draped over his shoulder, and around his waist. There seemed to be some kind of…binding, around his chest, as well. It was only on one side, too. His outfit was too weird for words! And on his back…

Whereas Sakura carried around that gi-normous bazooka, this Gaara character had a gourd. A gourd, strapped to his back-Ino discovered that the strange grey cloth was what held the device in place. She couldn't even begin to imagine what he used it for.

He had noticed her staring at him. His eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward. "What?" He blinked. "You can see me…?"

In response, Sakura leapt between them, blocking the still-sitting Ino from his cold gaze. "Leave her outta this, Gaara! She's not a part of it-it's just between us two!" He shook his head, and marched right up to her, until he was but a few inches away. Ino gulped-he was definitely not one to be crossed.

"Personally, I don't give a damn. If she's with you…then she's just as much a target." Ino froze. A target? What was he talking about? "And if she can see me…then she's going to be a _fun_ target, too." He gave her a leering glance, and a low growl escaped his lips. He seriously reminded her of a wild animal! "S-Sakura, just-just who is this guy?!" She couldn't help it. Unlike the usual monsters that they faced, this creep was on a whole other level.

"Pay him no mind, Ino." The pinkette was still shielding her from his reach. "He's just a mistake-a _stupid _decision I made when I was younger, and vulnerable." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, really? So I suppose that all those old vows, those kisses and promises, all of it-it truly meant nothing to you?" Ino felt something inside of her clench up again, upon hearing this. Had they…had she _really_ gone out with this freak? He continued on.

"You said that you'd stay with me. _Always._ When you were down, and no one else wanted anything to do with you, who let you in? _Me._ Who cared for you? _I did. _Who stuck by your side, day in and day out, without question? I'll give you one guess." He was smiling, smug as he waited for Sakura to respond.

"Yeah-until I figured out just how loco you were! He ain't running on all four burners, here." She jabbed a finger in his chest, and his eyes widened. "As soon as I got some common sense and learned the truth: that you can't live a life only fueled by hate and misery, I dropped your ass! It's not my fault if you can't find a decent therapist!"

"Why you"- He grabbed her hand, and attempted to yank her towards him. But she, in turn, got a hold of his collar, and dragged him forwards too. Ino's breath was hitched in her throat-were they going to fight, right here and now?! "S-Sakura?!" She couldn't! She wasn't even fully healed from their last excursion!

"I'm not the girl you knew before, Sabaku." He grit his teeth, as she let him go with a throw of her wrist. "Don't mess with me. If you know what's good for you, go home-and let me serve out my sentence here in peace!" She grinned wickedly. "Unless you wanna be cited for interfering with the law of Konohagakure?"

He snarled, as a swirl of sand whipped up around him. "Like I care about the laws! I'll be back, Haruno-back to claim what's mine! In other words-_you're dead_!" The sand obscured him from view, and when it finally dissipated…he was gone.

Ino was at a loss for words. What had started out as a bad day, only to turn into a better one, had now gone back below the scale, becoming and ending as an absolutely awful day. What joy. She stared, mute, as Sakura let out a deep sigh, before reaching down to haul her weapons back onto their usual places. "Come on, Pig. Stand up." She did so, but her eyes were still intently trained on the pinkette.

_Why…why didn't she tell me about any of this? About him? And…_Ino's thoughts drifted, back to one of the pieces of Gaara's hate-fueled speech.

"_When you were down, and no one else wanted anything to do with you, who let you in? Me."_ What did he mean by this? Was there something else that Sakura hadn't told her?

"Come on, Pig. Let's go home. Enough excitement for one day." But Ino wouldn't move, and Sakura was forced to turn around. They locked eyes, and the girl shuddered-Ino's baby blues were swimming in hurt and confusion. "Pig?"

"Why didn't you tell me about him?" The words were icy, and Sakura stiffened. She shifted her head, averting her gaze. "Because he wasn't important."

"Like hell he wasn't." Ino could feel it; her heart was shrinking away once more, and the armor was settling back in place, bit by bit. That familiar confrontational nature was rearing its ugly head-and Sakura wasn't in any mood for it. But Ino barged on.

"You made me-forced me-to open up to you, a-about my life, and all the things I'd been through, but you-I don't know anything about you!" She was getting frantic, blonde ponytail swaying to and fro behind her. And at that moment, she didn't care if anyone could see her or not. She wanted answers. And she was going to get them-no matter the price.

"Now, after all this, you just-you expect me to look away, as if it never happened?! You're crazy!" By this time, Sakura's face was hidden in the shadows of the noon sun, low and distant from her enraged companion. "Tell me! Tell me why you were with him-who is he? And what did he mean when he said that he was there for you, when no one else was?! I want to know! I want to"-

"Shut up!" The outburst was like a knife to Ino's heart. Her eyes were wide, as the pinkette rounded on her. All the frustration of the earlier events, the pain from her past being forced to the surface again, and now having Ino prying and desperate-it was just too much! She couldn't take it anymore!

"You wanna know? You really wanna know? Then I'll tell you! When I was young, I lived in poverty. I had to fight and claw my way to the top-hell, just to survive on a daily basis! All I had was my family. And one day, they weren't there anymore. In an instant, my life fell apart. They died, Ino. They were dead! There was an accident in the complex we lived at-a fire-and they never made it out. They were gone, right before my eyes. I was six years old." Sakura was shaking, and Ino could only gape, as she charged on.

"You always cry about your parents, and how lousy they are? At least you _have_ somebody! I got shuffled around, from home to home, in the care of people who could've really cared less-they were only in it for the money!" Her green eyes were fierce, even as the tears spilled over. "I had no one! Not a damn soul! No one in the city wanted to be around me…as if I was a living disease! I was so lonely…and then, I met _him_."

Her lips curved into a bitter smile. "He was the only one who understood me-understood what I was going through. He cared for me, and I him. It was strange, really-he was so violent, so destructive. He was always in trouble with the authorities-but he could be so gentle, too. When I was with him. Eventually, I started joining him, helping to terrorize the community. We wanted everyone to feel our pain, our rage, our despair. It was the only way they would see us; the only way we could make them notice us. And, for a while…it worked."

She took in a few shuddering breaths. "But it wasn't forever. When I was near your age, I got thrown into a juvenile detention home, for about a month. It was the most significant month of my entire life. I met people there-workers, and guests, who taught me that being alive…it was a blessing, and more precious than I could ever imagine. And I'd been wasting it all-out of selfish desire and childish resentment.

"When I met him again, I told him that I was going to enlist in the Demon Hunters. His response? He laughed. Just stood there laughing, like a fucking hyena. 'You really think you'll make it? They don't want you. Besides-you can't survive without me. And I wouldn't be caught dead around them.' So I looked him, square in the eye, and told him we were through."

Sakura turned around quickly on her heel, and Ino's mind was reeling from all this new information. But her heart was aching beyond belief. "That was it-I worked my ass off, to become the best I could at being a Hunter…while he spent his time doing everything he could to cause as much mayhem and disorder. Without saying it in so many words, we were trying to prove to one another: that our side was better than the other's. But I hadn't seen him in so long…I thought that he'd finally moved on. Guess he was just lying in wait."

The pinkette began walking. "Now he's found me again…and I've got nothing to hold me back. It's time to settle this, once and for all. Who truly is tops." She stumbled slightly; her side was beginning to throb, but she forced herself on. "This is one fight that I'm goin' solo on, Pig. You wouldn't understand…sorry. Just don't follow me."

"You liar!" The cry caught Sakura off-guard. She whirled around-

'WHAM' To collide head-on with Ino's fist. She flew backwards, rubbing her cheek, as she prepared to face the full brunt of Ino's wrath. At least, she thought she was ready.

"You-you said-you always tell me, that you need me, and that people can't make it on their own. But you're a hypocrite! You've been lying to me this whole time-you didn't tell me a goddamn thing, because you thought you could handle it on your own!" She was sobbing, the hot, furious tears slipping down her face as if in a procession. "And now you're planning to leave me, half-dead-just to butt heads with this-this jerk from your past, who shouldn't even mean anything to you now! Not if you're really who you say you are!"

Ino whirled around, stomping off. Sakura stared, jaw hanging, as she reached out a shaky hand. "I-Ino"-

"Don't! Just don't…I don't wanna hear it, Haruno." Hearing her call her by her last name stung more than the punch had. Her arm dropped to the ground, as Ino faded away, into the mass of buildings and people, a shadow against the backdrop of the setting sun. "Do what you want. But don't expect me to wait for you. It's over."

"Ino…Pig…" What had she done? Sakura lay there in the dirt, a crumpled, defeated heap. She felt sick to her stomach. Why? Why did this hurt so much? She'd wondered about losing the blonde before, but this-she hadn't actually expected it to happen! And for what? Because of a stupid grudge from her youth. Pathetic.

"But…I-I've dug my grave…now it's time-time to lie in it." Staggering to her feet, the pinkette slunk off, in the opposite direction of her partner. It was as if her heart was being ripped in two; one half was with Ino, and the piece that remained with her was barely functioning.

"Oh my, my…" As Sakura's figure disappeared into the mass of the city, a lone character in a treetop, having witnessed the entire sequence take place, shook his head wearily. In his hands was a small book, which snapped shut as he leapt down from his hiding spot.

"You two still have a lot to learn about love and friendship." Kakashi stretched, before lolloping off in another direction; a third path. He had his own things to take care of.

"As for Sabaku, well…" he chuckled softly to himself. "Someone needs a lesson in humility-and respect." He yawned. "Maybe I won't teach it to him, but…that doesn't mean that I'll just let their little catfight take place." He had a few aces left up his sleeves, and now was as good a time as any to bust them out.

"Later, though. It's nearing dusk…and I'm tired. Hungry, too." Lazily scanning his surroundings, Kakashi finally settled upon a small ramen shop a few stops down from the park exit. Right now, a warm bowl of noodles sounded good to him.

**……**

'TMP' 'TMP'

"Shit…I probably look like a mess."

Ino had finally arrived home, as the sun was sinking below the horizon. She let out a heavy sigh before rubbing at her face with the back of her hand. The tears were still damp upon her cheeks-mainly because she hadn't stopped crying. She'd been wandering through the crowds, with her vision blurred and her pulse pounding. Even now, her chest ached. She wondered if it was actually possible to die of a broken heart. She didn't know why, but somehow…that was the reason. The fight between her and Sakura had torn her apart inside.

_Because I trusted her. More than anyone else. And she lied to me. She tried to turn me into someone else-someone I haven't been in a long time…but she wasn't following her own advice._ Unlocking the front door, she closed it behind her with a muffled 'CLICK'. Slipping off her shoes, she prepared to head upstairs, and turn in early.

"Ino?" _Damn it!_ Just her luck-her mother was sitting in the parlor, waiting for her to return. With a pang, she remembered: the flower shop. She was supposed to have been on duty today…but she'd gone out; run away with Sakura…

"There you are! What the hell were you doing?" _Still sober, I see._ Akane had risen from the couch, and was now standing before her, face contorted in a mask of distress and anger. It only made her look more monstrous in Ino's eyes. "I told you to stay home and watch the shop today! And then I go outside-and the whole thing is closed up! Why didn't you listen to me?!" In response, Ino looked to the steps below her. "I didn't want to." It was the truth. She'd needed to run, and escape. _So much for that plan, though._

Her mother shook her head, and the behavior only made Ino want to be in her room even more so. She didn't need this; didn't need to be standing in front of this person, who thought she had the right to chide her for avoiding responsibility. But that's what she'd been doing too, for the last eight years of her life as well.

"Ino, I don't know what's going on, but you can't just cut and run whenever it suits you! There are certain things that need to take priority in your life, and the shop is one of them! Without the both of us together, it'll"-

"Oh, you mean like it takes the top spot in yours?" The words sliced through the woman's parental speech, and she stood in shock. She stared at Ino, pale eyes wide and mouth still half-frozen on the last word. "W-what did you say?"

Ino had had enough. Enough of not being in control, enough of being lied to, led on and shoved aside. Enough of her life, in general. "You rag on me for not being there-well, where the fuck are you, then?!" She was now facing the full force of Ino's bottled emotions. "Eight years, mother! Eight long years you've been drinking your life away, making me feel like shit-and for what? For a guy who took the easy way out, and wasn't even around most of the time! And I'm supposed to feel sorry for that? Well I don't, mom! I _don't_!"

Ino's blue eyes bore down upon her, like a tsunami, as she tore apart the silence that had built up between them over the years. "You don't even love me-all you do is drink! Just like him! Drink and cozy up to all those big business owners, trying to get the damn flower shop off your hands! I don't even know you anymore!" Akane wanted to quiet her, wanted to slap her; to reach out and stifle the words that flowed freely from her mouth.

Because they were true. And they hurt.

"Well you know what? I don't care anymore! Do what you like! In a few months, I'll be eighteen, and have graduated from high school! And you'll never have to see me again!" She stormed off up the stairs, footsteps seeming to shake the house to its very foundation. "I can't call you my mother anymore! You're just a stranger!" Her door slammed, and Akane stood there, stunned and rooted to the spot. All that suffering…it had been building up in her daughter for so long. And she was the cause of it. Her own mother.

"When…when did things get so bad?" She looked at the floor beneath her, the last few years seeming to swim before her eyes-day after day, night after night, of nothing but bars and hangovers and fights…

_Ino…I do love you. I do. I just…don't know what to do, or say…haven't known for so very long...  
_

"Some parent I am." She slowly headed back to the couch, flopping down upon the springy surface. She felt so drained, exhausted-Ino's outburst continued to ring in her ears, as she was forced to lock eyes with the shadow that she'd attempted to outrun, for so very long…and saw that it was herself.

Inoichi was gone. There was nothing left of him.

Now, Akane had taken his place. She had become the thorn in the side; the monster in the mirror. She'd wanted to keep everything together-but instead, she'd broken it all apart. She'd wasted her life. And now, she'd lost her only child, too.

She wanted to cry, cry so hard-harder than she ever had, in all her years. But the tears wouldn't come. They wouldn't fall. Because she wasn't allowed to feel sorry for herself. Not when she'd made the mistakes in the first place. It was time for her to face the music.

Time continued to march on, and she drifted into an uneasy sleep. She didn't notice the shadow slip across the floor, looming over her with those hungry red eyes…

**……**

'SHF' 'SHFFL'

'TMP' 'TMP' 'TMP'

'WHOOSH…'

It was night now. Sakura walked along the deserted streets of suburbia, not quite sure where she was going. She'd just been trudging along, from here to there, without any real destination in mind. After that last explosion of a discussion, she had no more energy in her to fight. Not even to care. She just wanted to disappear.

"Heh. Thought I'd find you here. You just couldn't resist the challenge, could you?" The pinkette's head snapped up, as Gaara leapt down from one of the high walls. He was smirking, as usual. She gave him a stone cold glare. "What do you want?"

"Exactly what I said before. I've come here to settle a score-to prove who's the better Hunter. That darkness will always overthrow the light." His sand began to flow around him, as he prepared for battle.

But to his surprise, Sakura waved a hand dismissively in his direction. "Not interested." She turned around, to resume walking down the street she'd just come up from. The sand fell away from him, as his face froze in an expression of bewilderment. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. I'm not gonna fight you." She stopped, but didn't attempt to make eye contact. "I've no desire to be that person anymore-that loner, living in solitude. You can't make it without others. I learned that the hard way." She started marching down again. "And now, I've probably lost her forever."

"No…" Gaara was starting to twitch. His greatest rival, the one who he'd been trying to usurp for all these years-refused to fight him? Now, after tracking her down, and getting her all alone? She was…rejecting him. Just like before.

"Why…?" He could have easily attacked her then. Taken her out with her back turned. He could feel it; that urge to shred and destroy. But something inside wouldn't let him. He'd wanted to triumph over her-in a fair fight. A fight where they were at their best, not some cheap shot in the dark. All his work had been for naught. "Is it…all because of that damn girl?"

This time, Sakura whirled around. He wouldn't. He couldn't. "Don't you dare"-

"Aw, how _cute_. A lover's spat." That mocking drawl. Sakura knew who it belonged to, before his figure appeared between them. "Scarecrow."

He shook his head. "Jeez, how many times are you gonna keep calling me by that name? The joke's getting really old, really fast." He cast his gaze onto Gaara, who was watching him quizzically. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Sabaku."

"How do you"- but he was cut off, by Kakashi clamping a hand tightly around his wrist. In an instant, there was a small burst of light. He tried to pull away. "What the hell"-

Sakura had no idea what was going on, either. "Kakashi-san? What are you doin'?" She was surprised enough to call him by the proper moniker this time around. He shrugged, facing her with that same expression of boredom and drowsiness. "Well, I was in the area. I was planning to go home and sleep, but…I figured that I'd get it outta the way now, instead of waiting for another opportunity."

By this time Gaara was back to normal, and not very pleased about the whole incident. "You bastard! How _dare_ you touch me!" He prepared to summon his sand, to smash this jerk into the ground.

A second passed. Then two. Then five. And still nothing.

"W-what?" How was this possible? "M-my powers…"

Kakashi gave them both a sheepish grin, which was covered by his mask-but still revealed in his one visible eye. "Well, I _am_ an ANBU, after all. I can do stuff like that." He patted the male on the shoulder. "Sorry pal, but as of this moment, you're under arrest." The redhead gawked, as a white band of energy glittered upon his wrist, before fading away once more. "Special handcuff jutsu. Keeps your abilities in check." He flashed a thumbs up at the pinkette. "You _really_ think I'd let you fight him, anyway? Even if you didn't already have that common sense in place."

She shook her head. "And I'm supposed to be the weird one. Well, now that that's out of the way, what now? It seems like our team has been…dismembered, for no good reason." Gaara let out a whine at hearing the word-that was what was on _his_ mind right now.

"Gross. You really need to find some better descriptions, Haruno-san." Sakura rolled her eyes. "Cut the formalities, Gramps. What am I gonna do? Ino's really upset." She furrowed her prominent brow in deep thought.

"How old do you think I am? Honestly?" Sakura shrugged in reply. He sighed. "Well, first of all…you've gotta figure out exactly what's going on inside." He pointed at his chest. "Here. In your heart."

She blinked. "My…heart?" She pressed a hand over her shirt, feeling as it beat beneath her skin. Behind the soldier, Gaara made a puking face. This was getting too sappy for him.

"Uh-huh. Ask yourself, Sakura…just how much do you care for Ino? What is she to you?"

"That's easy. She's my"-The pinkette had been ready to answer. But the words had frozen upon her tongue. She couldn't get them out. And the truth hit her like a sinking stone.

_I…I don't know how I feel about Ino anymore._

_Oh, pineapples. _

**A/N: And...yeah. I don't even know what I was thinking when I wrote this one. I just went with the flow. ^^; Sorry if it's getting too dramatic for you all. Happy New Year-even if it's about three days too late. XD  
**

**Speaking of which, I've changed the genre filter to 'Romance/Drama' for the time being. I plan to end this story on a lighter note, but until things get brighter around here, I cannot honestly continue to call this a comedy. Please forgive me-I'm doing my best with what I have. 'bows repeatedly'**

**Yeah, Gaara is Sakura's ex. Again, I really have no clue why-I originally wanted him to show up as merely a past rival. He's my fave character, and I wanted him to show up in at least _one_ of my other stories. But this is what happened once I started writing everything out. Yay or nay? I suppose since this is still somewhat of a humor fic, I've taken a few minor creative liberties with his usual persona, but it's up to you to let me know whether it works, or is a total misfire.**

**Next time: things get ugly. Ino and Sakura struggle without the other, Gaara continues to hold his grudge, and Kakashi plays peacemaker. And it all ends on a shocking note involving Akane. Oh, boy...**

**Ja-ne. =^.^"=  
**


	15. Gimme Three Steps

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Gimme Three Steps

'ZZZIP' 'SHFL'

"'Sigh' And it's off to another class…"

It was a Wednesday, and Ino trudged in silence down the packed halls of the high school. Her blue eyes were trained upon the ground, as she slipped effortlessly through the crowds. Like clockwork, she slunk up the stairs and around the corners, until she reached her set destination. She pulled open the door, and looked for a seat.

It had been about a week since her separation from Sakura. And the blonde wasn't handling it so well.

She'd thought that it would be easy enough to distance herself from the pink-headed lunatic, but to her surprise it was the hardest thing she'd ever done. Everything seemed to remind her of Haruno, from their tangles and adventures at the school, to their long walks down the roads, their encounters all over and their moments alone, at home and that last day in the park. Ino hadn't realized that she'd become that fond of the wild hunter. She bit her lower lip, and pressed her chin into the rough but cool surface of the wooden desktop.

Yes, Sakura was a nut of the highest caliber. But she had also been Ino's best friend; her first in forever, in fact. She'd defended her, supported her, comforted her and cheered her up. Even with all the mayhem and chaos she caused on a near daily basis, Ino could never stay mad at her. There were far more happy memories associated with the pinkette than bad ones.

She'd admitted it the previous week; that she and Sakura were friends now. But somehow, the pain in her heart…didn't seem to fit that of the loss of a friend. It felt different, as if she were being ripped apart from the inside out. They hadn't even known each other that long! And still, Ino couldn't remember a time before Sakura. It was as if they'd been together forever.

That previous encounter, though-with that bloodthirsty redhead named Gaara…it continued to tug at her heartstrings. How could Sakura have lied to her like that? As if Ino wouldn't care about such a thing; didn't need to know about the pinkette's past like she needed to hear hers. How could she be so stupid and hypocritical? How? It didn't make any sense. And then, telling Ino that she'd be going off to fight on her own, while half-dead from the wounds that lingered on the entire right side of her body? It was a complete contradiction of everything they'd been through! Every single thing that she'd been teaching her to believe!

_And yet…am I actually-actually willing…willing to forgive her?_ Ino blinked in shock, as her vision grew blurry. Not here, not now! She wasn't about to cry, was she? Furiously wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she forced herself to block out those emotions. Just like she'd done so long ago before. Before Sakura.

Even if she were to extend the hand of friendship once more to her, she had no idea where to find the wild child. After their split, the pinkette hadn't returned to the house. Nor had she shown up at school. Ino could only assume that this was truly the end, and that her days as an honorary, impromptu demon hunter were over. She would never again fight by Sakura's side; never again spy the monsters and sense the power levels with that madwoman and her guns close by. To finalize it so made Ino's stomach quiver and squirm even worse than before, and she had to breathe deep in order to keep from hurling right then and there.

Sakura was gone. She wasn't coming back. She obviously didn't want to. For all Ino knew, she could have been killed by that psychotic raccoon with the desert in a bottle on his back…!

_No! No-she can't die! She wouldn't; she said so herself!_ Ino was trying not to gag, and did everything in her power to drive away the images of the girl's lifeless body, pink locks spread out around her head like a broken halo…

_I-if anything…maybe she and that loony ended up together again…?_ This possible outcome did not help to soothe the tremors in her abdomen. In fact, it made them worse. She could no longer hold back the anguish and nausea. Scrambling from the classroom, she fled down the hall, to lean in front of the nearest trash can. She didn't care who saw her, as her breakfast went tumbling atop the various papers and cartons. She panted hard, tasting the sour stings of bile and orange juice.

Since Sakura's departure, she also had been out of touch with Kakashi. Whenever she looked at him in class, he would always avert his gaze. It was as if he were avoiding her. She no longer saw him around after classes. He must have found out what happened through the pinkette. And he apparently sided with her, too. Ino's heart dropped into her now empty stomach.

And her mother…she hadn't seen Akane after the evening of their heated exchange. Ino could only begin to imagine what the woman was thinking. Perhaps she had finally left, to roam the streets as a lone alcoholic? Or maybe she was just waiting for the right moment to kick her supposed daughter to the curb, for being so ungrateful. Everything swirled in Ino's mind then, like a twisted, living watercolor picture. The story of her life, regurgitated onto a tattered canvas.

She was alone again. Just like always. And this time…no one would be there to save her if she fell.

Groaning softly, she made her way back to the room. Her steps were slow and uneven as she passed through the different crowds. She paid no attention to their awkward stares and frantic whispers.

Nothing mattered then-nor would it matter ever again.

**…**

"Ah, senbon needles. What the hell am I gonna do…?"

Sakura sat in the park, legs dangling over the edge of a thick branch. Perched up high in a tree, she stared off wistfully into the distance, barely making out the faded form of the high school in the mass of buildings and posts. Next to her on an adjoining limb was Gaara, still subdued thanks to Kakashi's ANBU cuffs. He growled under his breath, grinding his teeth in frustration. "Just how long d'you plan to stay up here, blockhead? Until she comes waltzing back to you?"

"…" Sakura didn't reply. Instead, she pulled out her black pistol, and fired it less than an inch below his feet. He leapt up in fright, and nearly fell from the branch. "Y-you lunatic! At least gimme some kind of warning, will ya?"

"You don't deserve one." Her cold tone was chilling, even for him. He eased back down, as she kept her gaze trained on the far off form of Konoha High. "And I'm not leaving 'til I can figure out a way to apologize_." I hurt her-I really did. I've never seen her like that, not ever. Not even when she was telling me…about her past. _Sakura sighed, now turning her gaze skywards. _Not that I really deserve her forgiveness- though I'm willing to march into eternity just to please her._

Sakura hadn't expected to have become so attached to her human counterpart. At first, Ino couldn't stand her. She remembered it like it was yesterday. She'd hit her, cursed at her, thrown things at her and generally wanted nothing to do with her, or anything associated with her.

But, as time passed, Ino had gradually come out of her shell. She'd revealed sides to herself that the pinkette had never seen before, not in anyone. Such depth and feeling; Ino was truly a multi-dimensional person. So complex and curious. Sakura had been eager to learn more. And the more she learned, the closer they grew. It was like a garden, or a thicket, branching out farther and higher, without any guidelines or blueprints. And it was utterly natural for the both of them.

And now, she'd blown it all sky-high. Because she just couldn't let go of her damn past. What did her rivalry with Gaara matter anymore, anyway? If she wasn't with Ino, nothing mattered. Ino-that sharp as a whip blonde, with the unshakable attitude and glistening baby blues. The girl who could cuss you out like nobody's business, and then hold you as tenderly as a mother would her child. After Sakura had taken a beating in their last escapade, Ino had devoted so much of her time to keeping an eye on her, and tending to her wounds. She'd even helped her in the bath. It was certainly a change from where they'd been a few weeks ago.

Sakura chuckled to herself. _And that little lady's got one hell of a punch, too._ How many times had she squarely connected with her forehead, or nose or eyes? The only reason Sakura didn't bruise was because of the difference between her and a regular human being. But right now, she wouldn't have minded a mark upon her skin; at least it would be a memento.

_Gotta find a way…some way, to let her know how I feel. Let her know…just what she means to me. And how much, too._ Her face broke into a sad smile, and she leaned back against the trunk. She felt so drained; heartache really took a lot out of you. She closed her deep green eyes, and settled in for a nap.

'PING' "What?" The pinkette sat up sharply. It couldn't be-not another power burst!

But it was. Next to her, Gaara was on alert, sea-green orbs narrowed and wary. "There's something out there, Haruno." She bit her tongue. _Already?_ And when she and Ino weren't together, of all times? Not good. Not good at all. Her stomach twisted into violent knots, as another flash of energy zipped across. _Whatever this thing is…it's strong. Maybe too strong…_

"Come on!" With a single leap down, Sakura was on the grass, waiting for the redhead to join her. He cast a sneering glare in her direction below. "For what?"

"We got a job to do!" She shook her head. Honestly, how dense was he? Had she really gone out with him once before? She could no longer see the supposed attraction. Now, he just reminded her of a spoiled brat.

"Unlike you, I could really give a shit less about what happens to this pathetic planet. I'm not one of your goody-goody hunter buddies. I salivate to destruction." She let out an annoyed huff, turning on her heel. She had to get in touch with Kakashi, ASAP. Even if he was still scolding her for driving away the blonde from their group. "Fine! Suit yourself! You don't wanna get in on the action, that's not my problem! You freaking panda!" At this, a vein above his eye began to twitch.

"I…am not a goddamn panda! When will people understand this? When?" He flew down, to take after her. "You pink-haired bitch! You _will_ take that back! I will _not _stand to be insulted!"

**…**

'BRIIING'

At long last, the school day was over. Letting out a strained sigh of relief, Ino hauled her bag onto her back and prepared for the trek home. Once more she maneuvered through the crowds like a ghost, willingly invisible among the throng of warm bodies. In no time at all she was out in the hustle of the streets, heading back to her familiar abode.

She'd be going solo again tonight, so in a few hours she'd have to get started on dinner. After finishing a good portion of her homework, that was. She followed the sidewalk beneath her with her cloudy eyes; was this what her life had now dwindled down to? Some existence.

'BEEP' 'BEEP' She stood in silence at the crosswalk, watching the cars pass by. She felt the faint chill of air against skin, but it was soon muddled by the exhaust and gases from the engines. She didn't blink as the light changed, and she continued her journey. For some reason, it seemed to take longer today than any other, even though she hadn't made any stops, and the crossing lights weren't stretched out more than usual. It must've just been her shattered perception.

'CLICK' "Home sweet home…yeah, right." Kicking off her flats, the blonde headed upstairs to deposit her supplies and curl up for a couple of hours of nonstop studying. But as she lay down atop the bed, her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since the earlier mishap at recess, and she wasn't about to risk it now. However, a cool drink wasn't out of the question. So, rising to her feet, she returned downstairs to grab a glass of ice water. Best to stick with something simple.

As she pulled a cup from the cabinet and washed it under the sink, she felt a small shiver slip up her spine. It was as if someone had been running their finger over her skin. She glanced over, but of course saw nothing there. It was just the stress of a long day getting to her. Collecting the ice cubes and water from the fridge, she ascended the stairs, now ready to hit the books.

'TICK' 'TICK' 'TICK'

Minutes passed, then an hour, and Ino did all she could to stay focused on the lesson before her. She managed to get through half the page, but then her eyes finally gave way on her. The numbers were starting to resemble oatmeal, so she sat up to take a few sips from her cup. The liquid was smooth and refreshing as it dripped into her mouth and down her throat, and after drinking her fill she lay back down to continue her assignment.

'PING' "Huh?" The blonde sat up straight. That feeling…it couldn't have been. Her heart skipped a beat, as she tried to resume her algebra. But she couldn't forget that sensation; the familiar surge of demonic energy. She hoped that it was merely her mind playing tricks on her again. Or perhaps her emotions, from that gnawing desperation in her gut, wishing for Sakura to come home already.

As she shook these thoughts from her mind however, the energy flared up again. Ino couldn't ignore it this time-it was close. And a lot stronger than the first shock.

_Shit! Why now, of all times…I'm on my own! I can't defend myself!_ Rushing from the bed to the closet, she began searching inside for something that could be used as a makeshift weapon. Eventually she found an old metal baton from her childhood. So she'd wanted to be a cheerleader when she was younger. Go figure. It wasn't a crime, just very foolish. But right now, it was her only hope.

She gulped under her breath, as the force drew nearer. Squatting on the floor, she prayed frantically in her head for it to go away; to disappear and leave her be. Or maybe she could vanish, and never be found. Either way, she did not want this thing laying its hands, or claws or tentacles-whatever it had, anywhere near her. She drew in a sharp breath, as it crept ever closer.

'JINGLE' 'CLICK' The door! The front door was unlocking! Ino flew into a panic. _D-don't tell me that this thing can actually pick a lock? O-or is it using keys? _And just as she thought she'd burst from the overwhelming fear, a soft voice called up the stairs. "I-Ino…? Are you home?"

It was her mother. The energy dissipated, and the baton clattered from her grasp.

**…**

'BAM' "Yo! Sticky!"

Sakura was out of breath, as she stood in the doorway of Kakashi's classroom. She let out a frustrated howl as she realized that he had stepped out once again. Just like the first time she and Ino had come looking for him. "Kakashi-baka, you slimy, sarcastic, lying sneaky annoying"-

And from behind the pinkette came a raspy voice. "You rang…?"

Sakura shot up at least five feet into the air. Swinging wildly behind her, she threw out a powerful kick, while fumbling with her gun holster. A slicing pain shot up her side, but she refused to pay it any mind. Her leg was caught by an unseen assailant. Drawing out Icy, she brandished the weapon-

-and came face to face with none other than a semi-startled Kakashi at the end of her barrel. "Uhh…hi, welcome back?" The girl shoved the pistol back inside the pouch around her waist, fixing the silver-haired soldier with a dirty glare. "You know, one of these days your ass-hattery is gonna get'cha killed!"

"Meh." He shrugged his shoulders. "At least I'll have died doing what I love." He raised an eyebrow in her direction. "And you're just too serious, anyway. Relax a little, huh?"

"Yeah, right!" Sakura strode over to his desk, slamming her palms onto the surface. "We've got a problem! There's another bully poking his nose around the city!" Kakashi tilted his head. "And since Ino and I are separated, not only am I gonna be clueless in battle, but she's totally unprotected! And you know that those monsters'll be heading her way, soon as they smell her!"

The teacher leaned back, and a swift crack filled the room. "Ahh…much better." He looked at the pinkette, all previous traces of humor gone from his gaze. "So, you wanna go after Ino, tell her how you feel, and then kick some ass? Is that about the gist of it?"

"Erm…well, uhh…" Sakura hadn't thought that far ahead. She'd just wanted to find the blonde, and make sure that she was okay. She still hadn't come up with a suitable apology for her thick-headed behavior those past days ago. So now she stood there, an uncomfortable and bewildered expression upon her face. Kakashi strode over, bopping her lightly on the forehead. She let out a small whine.

"Come on, Pinky. Let's get this over with." Sakura let out a soft sigh of relief. She was grateful to this man, as jerky as he may have been, for knowing when to pry and when to leave well enough alone. But as they headed for the door, a third figure burst through, panting and furious. "Y-you…!"

"Oh." Kakashi blinked. "Hey there, Sabaku. What's up? Can't use the bathroom or something?"

"Shut up, you geezer!" As Kakashi tutted in disapproval, Gaara threw a look of disgust at the pinkette. "I'm…I'm not moving, until you-until you give me an apology!" She wrinkled her nose. "For what?"

"I'm not a flipping panda! Now say it!" His fists were clenched, as Sakura stepped forwards. A satisfied, if tired grin made its way onto his features.

'WHAM'

But instead of making nice, Sakura had grabbed his arm, and swung him up into the air. He sailed over her head, and landed with a heavy slam on the tiled floor. She pressed her foot into his abdomen, and he let out a thick cough. "I'm only gonna say this once, Red. Don't fuck with me. Now, I've got a damsel to save, and some demon hiney to whip. If you wanna help, you're welcome to join us. Otherwise, stay outta my way. Or next time, I really _will_ rip your arm from its socket." And with that, she made her exit.

Kakashi shrugged once more. "Dude, I hate to say it, but…she's just not that into you." On the floor, Gaara's face burned with anger, embarrassment, and…possibly, a few burst blood vessels.

But at least he got the message.

**…**

'TMP' 'TMP' "M-mom?"

Timidly, Ino made her way down the stairs. There at the bottom stood her mother, carefully pulling off her coat. Upon hearing Ino's voice, she looked up-and the blonde gagged.

_T-that smell! A-and her gaze…_Akane's eyes were heavily shadowed, almost appearing to have been punched. And the stench of rotten eggs permeated the air. "Hello, Ino. How was school?" To hear her speak such words only made the blonde's suspicions increase. But she chose to answer anyway. "I-it was fine. Just fine." Her mother nodded, turning towards the couch. As she did so, the smell left with her, and the blonde let out a gasp of breath. What was going on here?

"Uh…m-mom?" Slowly, Ino headed for the parlor as well. As much as it sickened her, something was seriously wrong with her mother. And it was up to her to find out what-no matter what differences existed between them. Inhaling deeply, she took the last few steps, and now stood before the woman on the seat. "A-are you…are you okay?"

Akane flashed her a bright smile, and Ino was nearly overwhelmed by the toxins radiating from her. "Yes, I am. Why? Is there something off?" She looked to her left, then her right, as if checking for stains. Ino shook her head, trying to stay balanced. "N-no, that's not it. I-it's just that"-

'SLSH'

The last words didn't leave her mouth. Without warning, Akane had struck out at her violently, that same mocking smile never leaving her lips. It took a few seconds for it to fully register, as the dull pain began to seep in.

"A-ah…" Trembling, Ino forced herself to look down. There was a bright red stain beginning to form on the side of her uniform top. It spread out to the front, and she fell to her knees, clutching at the wound in horror. It hurt-it hurt so bad! With terrified eyes, she gazed up at her mother, as if to find an answer. Akane was towering above her, now on her feet. Her eyes were glowing a fearsome shade of red, and against the shadows on her face she looked like a grizzly Halloween display. "M-mother…? W-what are you…doing?"

"Oh, Ino. It's what I've always wanted to do!" Her teeth seemed to gleam as her left arm shifted. In her hand was a large butcher knife. A shuddering squeal slipped from Ino's pale lips, as she tried desperately to crawl across the wooden floor. Without any effort Akane followed her, still with that maniacal grin upon her face.

"After all, I have no use for a daughter who doesn't listen, now do I?" She giggled, and it came out as a high pitched wheeze. In that instant, the blonde saw something flash; like a distorted picture on a television, across the woman's face. Just like when she'd confronted Shinji and Hikari's demon father after being eaten. Ino's blue eyes threatened to pop from their sockets. "Y-you're-you're not my mother! Where's Akane?"

"Oh, my my. Perceptive little runt, aren't we?" The figure chuckled, as a new, lower tone made its way forth from Akane's parted lips. The girl gaped in horror, as a sulfurous shadow began to stretch up from her mother's body. The smell began to shift around her, but all Ino could focus on was this evil being that loomed before her.

"You know, your mother actually cares for you quite a bit. She's just a drunk weakling." The creature's eyes glowed, and Akane's own eyes closed, the darkness seeping out of them like paint. "Human beings are so _fun_ to toy with. And out of everyone I've met upon this rattrap…" at this, it leaned over, great grinning fangs less than an inch from Ino's face, "…I think you're probably my favorite. Not only are you a Seer, but you've got so many _connections_!" It chortled again, and Akane's body tumbled to the floor, spread over Ino's bleeding form. She shivered, as the thing floated upwards.

"You're so vulnerable…and yet, it's nearly impossible to corner you. Took me this long just to succeed!" It swooped through the air, drawing ever closer to the ceiling. "And you've provided me with the perfect bait, as well." Ino wondered when this monster would kill her. She didn't want to feel these emotions and the stabbing pain any longer. She just wanted to die…die with her mother by her side. With tender fingers, she brushed a stray strand of graying gold from the woman's worn cheeks.

'BAM' "Ino-Pig! Whoa-what the Beelzebub?" _No way! I-it can't be! S-she wouldn't have…not for me!_

But it was. In no time at all, Sakura was by her side, green eyes burning with a new fury upon seeing Ino's fresh wound and the state of her mother. She trained her gaze, drenched in loathing, upon the twisting figure above them. In a few more seconds, Kakashi and Gaara were there too, both just as stunned and perplexed by the being-and this strange turn of events.

Red eyes once more locked with Ino's own. "It's your choice. Either you surrender your soul to me…or you can say bye-bye to mommy dearest here, and hello to becoming soul food-literally." Ino's gaze wavered, as it finally vanished, slipping through the ceiling. "Remember me always in your nightmares, Yamanaka Ino-my name is Kaijuu." And just like that, it was gone.

_I-it's-I-it's gonna eat my mother! M-my mother's soul-I have to do something!_ The blonde struggled to stand up, but a fresh wave of pain and nausea hit her like a hurricane. She slumped backwards, into Sakura's arms. "P-Pig?"

"We gotta get them to the hospital. Now." Kakashi quickly headed for the phone, to dial 911. Sakura sat there, cradling Ino's battered form against her. "No…no, no…it wasn't supposed to be like this…no-no, no! Not Pig…not my Pig…no…" Gaara stared in silence, taking in everything without so much as a breath. His gaze lingered on the lifeless seeming form of Akane, and he watched as her chest rose just slightly-the first sign that she was still alive.

"They'll be here soon." Kakashi shook his head. "Jeez…this is trouble. Big trouble. I have no clue what that-that thing was, and…I don't even know what to tell the medics when they arrive. How the hell could anyone explain this?" The usually calm and collected soldier-slash-teacher was now muttering to himself in a flurry. Sakura continued to hold onto the limp Ino.

_Everything's…so dark…a-am I…gonna die?_ The last thing Ino saw before she shut her eyes was the tear-stained face of Haruno Sakura.

**A/N: ...yeah, it's basically a free for all now. ^^;**

**Sorry if things are getting a little too dark. I will end this fic as a romantic comedy, but for now...bear with me. This is the direction my muse has taken me. I can do naught but follow and listen, with semi-nimble fingers clattering across the computer keys. Meh.**

**If anyone has heard the name 'Kaijuu' before, please let me know. I have absolutely no clue where it came from, but I know it came from somewhere outside. It invaded my brain before I had a chance to think otherwise; it was typed on my screen, and I really couldn't find a suitable alternative to replace it with.**

**Yep-Gaara got his ass handed to him by Sakura. Kind of refreshing to write-after all, most of the time he's portrayed as this unstoppable force of nature. But here, in the land of femslash and slapstick, he's completely outta his league. XD Does that make me a sadist, then? For writing such things about one of my fave characters? Or do I just have a very broad sense of humor?**

**Next chapter: Ino is in the hospital, Sakura is her bodyguard and confidant, Gaara is finally ready to play nice, Kakashi busts out some new wicked Jutsus-of course-and Kaijuu makes a second appearance. See you soon!**

**Ja-ne! =^.^=**


	16. Time of Your Life pt 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Sixteen: Time of Your Life (pt. 1)

'BEEP' 'BEEP' 'BEEP'

'WHRRR' 'SHHF' 'WHRRR' 'SHHF'

"…urg…what…?"

With trembling blinks, Ino's blue eyes opened like petals embracing the dawn. But what she saw before her, in blurred and disjointed pieces was most certainly not a glorious sunrise. There was white and grey checkered above, along with steady sounds all around her-though they were impossible to identify. She felt the surface beneath her give way, and, after a few moments to collect herself, came to the conclusion that she was on a bed. Figuring that she must've been in her room but was too groggy to realize it, she tried to sit up.

"Ouch!" A sharp pain snaked up her right side, while her arms felt restrained and bruised. As her vision grew clearer, she managed to turn her head with a slow twist. Her eyes widened in shock and horror.

She was in a hospital bed. Clad in a pale pastel gown, she was hooked up to a series of machines and monitors. One was keeping track of her heartbeat, while another was filtering in a strange liquid via a tube. It was attached to a needle that was shoved deep beneath the skin. She winced at her stiff joints and the new sensations that were seeping in from all over her body. She must have been out for quite some time.

"But…what about…" Carefully, she reached down and raised up the edge of her gown, to investigate exactly what was wrong with her. She almost screamed at the sight. There in her skin were fresh stitches, with white gauze wrapped over most of the threads. But a few seams poked out up and above, and the vision was enough to make Ino panic. In a flurry, she began ripping out the needles and tried to climb off of her bed. She wobbled, feeling a warm liquid trail down her arm. She was bleeding from where she'd forced the devices out. But she didn't care. Whatever was going on, she had to get out of there-now! Clutching at the bed frame, she struggled to make it to the heavy door. Thankfully, it only required a push to open, which she could accomplish by leaning on her shoulder.

"Uh…eh?" Suddenly, there was clattering of plastic and footsteps, as Ino felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She let out a hoarse cry, and did her best to break free as the stranger led her back to the cot. "N-no-no! Let-let…me go!" It was as if she'd been robbed of the ability to speak. Had she really been unconscious for that long?

"Whoa! Calm down, Pig!" And instantly, Ino stopped her thrashing. Only one person on Earth called her that. With a timid shuffle, she locked eyes with pink hair, a dirty red and black outfit, and bleary green eyes. They were staring in a mixture of relief and worry. "Ss…Sa-Sakura?" Ino choked out the name, and the girl nodded. "Welcome back…partner." Her weapons were conspicuously absent from her figure, for once.

She allowed the pinkette to lead her back to the cot now, without any fuss. She tsked at the state of Ino's arms. "Damn it…why'd you have to go and pull those out? They're for your own good." Shaking her head, she reached for the call button. "Gotta ring for the nurse"-

"No!" Sakura's hand stopped inches from the panel. Ino looked at her companion in fear and confusion. "I…I don't understand. What…what's going on? Why-why am I here? What happened?" Sakura turned away, letting out a heavy sigh. "You really don't remember, do you? They must've doped you up good." She gave Ino a sad smile from over her shoulder. "You'll know soon enough, though…" With soft steps she crossed the room to seat herself in a fold out chair.

Ino still wasn't any closer to figuring out her present situation. Why was Sakura being so damn mysterious? "S-Sakura? What's going on? Tell me!"

The pinkette shook her head. "I can't. Even I don't wanna remember it. You'll just…have to find it out on your own." She wasn't acting like this because it was funny, or some kind of game. It was truly one of the worst possible things that could have happened. The images were enough to make her chest burn with anguish, and her eyes water uncontrollably. She still had no answer as to why it had occurred-or how none of them had sensed it sooner.

Desperate, Ino tried to think back as far back as she could. What was the last thing she could see in her mind? _I…I came home from school…and…and, mom came home…and then…_She was still drawing a blank. There were a handful of missing pieces, and she wracked her brain trying to find them.

_My homework…and-and some water! I came home, a-and I was doing my homework with a glass of water nearby…and then…_Sakura wasn't looking at her now, but was instead focused on the scenery outside the window. Her eyes were so strained and dark; just how long had she been sitting there, watching her in that semi-comatose state?

_I-I sensed something…something bad…_Ino felt a strange shiver shoot up her spine, but she pressed on. She had to know! It was starting to drive her crazy! Why would she want to be awake in a world with no recollection of anything? Perhaps she had a selective amnesia? The blood on her arms was beginning to drip onto the floor. Sakura saw this, and narrowed her eyes. Ino needed a nurse, whether she wanted one or not.

In a few long strides she was by the blonde's bedside once again. Pressing down sharply with her thumb, the buzzer activated. Ino shot her a look of blue-eyed betrayal, but Sakura was already headed back to her seat. In a few seconds the nurse had arrived. "What's going on?"

"She pulled out all them needles. She's bleeding." The woman let out a soft gasp, as she marched over to take in the state of the damage. Apparently, her concern was enough to keep her from questioning the state of the pinkette's appearance. As far as Ino knew, she stayed hidden around everyone else. That wasn't a very reassuring sign-it meant things were as grave as she feared if Sakura wasn't bothering with the usual routine.

"Oh, my…I've gotta go get the kit." The nurse scurried from the room, and Ino once more focused her attention on the pinkette before her. But her anger began to ebb away, as she noticed the expression on Sakura's face.

She looked like she was about to cry.

"S-Sakura…?" But Ino didn't get a chance to finish her sentence, as the nurse strode in briskly with a small kit and a roll of medical tape. "Hold still now." It took a while, but she managed to both wrap up the wounds on the girl's arms, as well as replace the fallen needles and set the ends back into the skin. She gave Ino a look of disapproval. "They may not be comfortable, but for now you're stuck with them, Miss Yamanaka! Do you understand me?"

Nodding meekly in response, Ino watched as the nurse marched off, with the door swinging shut behind her. Ino returned her gaze upwards, towards her pink haired friend. She was trying yet again to fill in the details of her previous encounter before she'd wound up here.

_And then…it went away. T-the feeling-it went away. And…and Akane came home._ Her mother. That same unnerving sensation slipped up and down her spine, before it disappeared into her lower stomach. _A-and then…and then…_she was pushing so hard, to unlock the mental barrier that stood between her and release.

'FWOOSH' "A-ah…!" Without warning, everything came flooding back in a fury. Ino clutched at her head, whimpering into her knees.

'_SLSH'_

"_M-mother…? W-what are you…doing?"_

"_Oh, Ino. It's what I've always wanted to do!"_

The blood. The blade. That glare. The stains. That smell. And that voice…

"_After all, I have no use for a daughter who doesn't listen, now do I?"_

"_Y-you're-you're not my mother! Where's Akane?"_

"_Oh, my my. Perceptive little runt, aren't we?"_

That horrible, distorted voice…Ino couldn't stop the shakes now, as the nausea slipped up into her throat. It tugged and crushed her vocals, and she was beginning to taste the familiar flavor of bile. She tried to force it down; away from her as the memories rolled on, like a slideshow.

"_You know, your mother actually cares for you quite a bit. She's just a drunk weakling. Human beings are so fun to toy with. And out of everyone I've met upon this rattrap… I think you're probably my favorite. Not only are you a Seer, but you've got so many __**connections**__!" _And then, that blood-curdling laughter…

"_It's your choice. Either you surrender your soul to me…or you can say bye-bye to mommy dearest here, and hello to becoming soul food-literally."_ She couldn't stop it. The vomit was coming on as she sat in that bed, estranged from everyone and everything, face to face with that freak. His last words echoed through her mind.

"_Remember me always in your nightmares, Yamanaka Ino-my name is Kaijuu."_ She couldn't take it anymore. "S-Sakura!"

In a flash, the pinkette was by her side, garbage can in hand. With a violent heave Ino let loose into the container, feeling her side begin to throb as her body rocked back and forth with every expulsion of content. Sakura said nothing, merely rubbing her back in soothing circles. It was the best thing she could have done, actually.

In a few minutes Ino was through, blue eyes rimmed with tears and face burning. She felt rage, she felt despair, she felt terror. _That-that thing-it has my mother! A-and I…I have to sacrifice myself, o-or else…_

"S-Sakura!" She couldn't hold the tears in any longer. She sobbed into the pinkette's shirt, as wave after wave of emotion overtook her. Everything that had been building up inside was now unleashed, as she lay there against Sakura's chest, shivering and hiccuping. Sakura wrapped her arms around the blonde, chin pressed into the top of her head. "It's gonna be okay…we'll get through this…"

"Yo." The sudden voice interrupted the close moment. The two looked towards the door, to see none other than Kakashi and that pest, Gaara. Ino let out another sniffle, as they drew closer to the bedside. "Hey there, Ino." The teacher gave her a light pat on the shoulder, while the redhead stared in quiet fascination. "I smell blood…" his eyes flickered with an unknown emotion, as they landed upon Ino's tear-stained face. "Were you bleeding recently?"

'POW' "Uggh…" Gaara lay sprawled across the floor, on the other side of the room. Dusting off her hands, Sakura gave the teacher a pointed gaze. "Alright. Now, onto more improtent matters. First off, how are we gonna get Pig outta this rat hole?" Ino blinked.

"Sakura, are you high? She can't go anywhere in her condition right now!" The teacher shook his head in her direction. "You're really lucky, kid-that slice barely missed your internal organs. I'm not so certain to bet that's not what Kaijuu or whoever was hoping for, though." He folded his arms over his chest. "Tell us, Ino. Exactly what happened before we got there?"

The blonde gulped, nerves tensing up once more as Kakashi pulled over Sakura's now empty chair. The pinkette seated herself on the edge of the bed, giving Ino a gentle smile. "It's alright, Ino-Pig. You're among friends now. No one's gonna hurt you." So, taking a deep breath, she relayed her horror story.

When it was over, she scanned the eyes of her companions, for some kind of hint as to what was on their minds. Sakura looked as determined as always, while Kakashi appeared to be pondering to himself. Gaara had regained his bearings, and had joined the others around the bedside to listen to Ino's tale of misery. He had nothing better to do. But now that it was finished, his hand was clutched in a tight fist. Sakura cast a brief glance in his direction. _He really wishes that he had his powers right about now…madman or not, he's not totally heartless. I should know-after all, I used to date the lummox._ She cheered to herself inside; obviously, they had one more comrade on their side for the upcoming battle.

But back to the subject at hand. Sakura raised one pink eyebrow at Kakashi, daring him to repeat himself. He let out a long sigh. "Sakura, you know how hard it was getting them to believe that story!" He looked at Ino. "We somehow managed to convince them that your mother had been suffering from a hangover, accidentally grabbing the knife. You were afraid she would hurt herself, so you tried to take it away. And this is the result."

Hearing about her missing mother reminded the teen of one last question that she wished to ask the three of them. "Sakura…where _is_ my mother?"

The two before her exchanged worried expressions. Not a good sign. Kakashi sighed again. "Well, the good news is that she's alive." Instantly, a knot about the size of a volleyball disappeared from inside Ino's stomach. He continued on. "But, the bad news is…" And the knot had returned, before she'd had a chance to prepare. She shook uncontrollably, and Sakura held her protectively.

"The bad news…is that her insides are horribly damaged. Apparently, she's been drinking heavily for some time." Ino knew this. She'd known it for a while now. But that didn't make it any easier to hear the news. "And, since her soul is being held hostage…her body is beginning to shut down. If we don't release her soon, her body will fall apart completely. She'll go from being in an alcohol induced coma…" He didn't finish that last statement. He didn't need to. The truth was written all over Ino's face.

"So…what are we going to do, then? Let her die?" Slowly, the fear was beginning to give way to anger. She didn't want to be here against her will, forced to be a patient and unable to save her mother! She wanted to join her friends, and kick that creep's ass! No matter if he was strong or not! She was willing to do anything to get out of there! Anything.

"'Sigh'…can't believe that I'm actually considering this." The two girls, as well as Gaara, turned their heads to focus on the silver-haired soldier. Sakura tapped her foot impatiently. "Considering what? Spit it out already, you dolphin!"

Kakashi snorted. "Now you've got me confused. That's Iruka-sensei." The pinkette shrugged. "Never heard of him before." Both jokes had fallen flat. Kakashi waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind that. Gaara, go check the door. If it's not locked, lock it. If you can't, then block it." Without hesitation, the redhead marched off to the swinging door and sat against it, ready to refuse entry to any and all who attempted to enter. Ino's eyes were wide. "K-Kakashi, what are you"-

"Sakura. You've had at least a bit of medical training, yes?" The pinkette nodded. "Good. I need you to remove the wires from our lil' android here." Sakura gulped, and Ino had to wonder just what was going through his mind at that moment. What kind of a nickname was that? Was he losing his touch? "Can you do it without making a mess?"

She looked at Ino, whose expression was both nervous and trusting. Ruffling the blonde's hair, she gave her that famous crooked grin. "Don't worry. I'd never hurt you." These words struck Ino's heart like a lightning bolt, as Sakura reached into her still attached pouch, to fish out some more gauze and tape. "Just in case."

With that, she began the arduous task of removing the needles which the nurse had spent so much time replacing. Ino flinched a few times, but Sakura's hands were steady. In a couple of minutes they were out, with very little blood to show for it. Kakashi motioned to Sakura once more. She tilted her head, before suddenly snapping to and saluting.

"W-whoa!" In one swift move, Sakura had swept up Ino in her arms. The blonde gripped at her neck tightly, as she felt a wave of dizziness coming on. The pinkette did not release her, instead pulling her closer against her. Ino felt a pang of guilt, as Sakura let out a labored breath. "S-Sakura…your side…"

"It's nothing!" She was back to her cocky grin again. "I'm practically cured." She winked at Ino, and she felt a blush creeping into her cheeks. "It was mostly thanks to you, ma petite pal!" Oh, boy. Now that set Ino's heart racing at 100 miles per hour.

The group turned their attention back to Kakashi, who now stood over the empty bed. "Hope this works…" He reached for the pillow, picking up what appeared to be a strand of Ino's own hair. He placed it in the center of the bed.

'FSH' 'FSH' 'FSH' 'GONG' In a flurry of movement with his hands and a single verbal command, there was a burst of light and energy, and the area was filled with smoke. Ino began to sweat-what if it set off the smoke alarms?

But after a few moments the mist had completely dissipated. Ino gaped at what now lay atop the bed. It was _too_ freaky!

There sat another Ino, fully dressed as she was, and accurate down to the arrangement of the stitches in her side. As the blonde continued to gawk, Kakashi set to work reapplying the needles and tubes into her arms. "Okay, now you just lie down here and look pretty…" The clone shut her eyes, and Kakashi whirled around to face them. "Well? Do they teach us well, or do they teach us well?" He scratched the back of his head. "ANBU learn how to make single clones from objects, as well as multiple copies. This…was a little variation on the technique that I perfected myself." He flashed the thumbs up. "Usually, one makes duplicates of themselves? This is the first technique that allows you to make a mirror image of another person."

Sakura's lower lip jutted out in a pout, and Ino had the desire to giggle at the expression. But as she tried, her side tinged with pain from the motion, so she was forced to repress the action. Sakura followed the face with this line. "Lucky stiff! Wish they taught us shit like that in the academy! We only learn about the physical stuff, like combat!" She stuck out her tongue. "I wanna flip out like a ninja, too!"

"Alright, alright. Now that we know you're jealous of my mad skills, are we all ready to go?" Sakura and Ino nodded, as Gaara stood up to join them. "Well, then…let's vamoose from this sad scene!" And with another complicated flick of his hands, they disappeared from the room. There was no trace of any of them having been in there in the first place.

Now, where were they going to end up?

…

'POOF' "And…welcome home. It's the Yamanaka residence."

Carefully setting her partner down on the ground, Sakura watched her as she slowly allowed her eyes to drift over the familiar scenery. It was both reassuring and frightening to be home again. Her gaze lingered upon the wooden floor in front of the couch. It was clean now, but on that day...She shuddered, and noticing this Sakura quickly guided her towards the stairs, in order to divert her attention. "Come on, Ino. Lean on me-let's get you to your room, so you can change. I'm willing to bet that robe isn't very warm. It's probably as cold as a witch's"-

"Anyway," Kakashi interrupted loudly, "we're gonna rest up here tonight." Ino stopped in her tracks, fixing him with an incredulous stare. "What? T-then why the secrecy, a-and the rush from the hospital?"

"Getting you used to being back on your feet. But do you really think that you're ready for battle right now? You're still woozy from those painkillers, admit it." Her face fell into a look of guilt-he was right on the dot with this one. As imperative as time was to the situation, she'd be dead on her feet if they scrambled off now. Resigning herself to waiting one more day, she continued the trek upstairs with Sakura. One arm was wrapped around the blonde's waist, while the other was under her arms.

She led the way up, reaching Ino's quarters in a few seconds. She had the layout of this place memorized like the Konohagakure national anthem. _And that sucker took a lot out of you, just to sing it once! It's a requirement that all officials remember the lyrics to a 'T', as a way of showing their pride for the jobs they undertook and the land they protected. Blah, blah blah._

'CLICK' "Here you go, Pig…easy does it. There-there's your bed." Ino cast a grateful smile to her companion, before extending it to the rest of the room. Everything was just as she'd left it-the unfinished homework assignments on her bed, the baton upon her floor, the glass of water on her bureau. It had been melted for quite some time now, and there was a ring in the wood from the moisture that had formed outside the cup. She wondered if anyone at school knew of her status. She could only begin to imagine what they'd say, especially Kiba and Shikamaru.

"Eheh-hope you don't mind, but I…well, I kinda left my pals up here." At the foot of the bed, just like the first night they'd stayed together was Dorchet, while slung over a chair was her pistol holster. Ino nodded, trying not to chuckle at the happy memory. She couldn't believe how bent out of shape she'd got over such a little thing like storage. Seeing the weapons there made her feel secure somehow-they belonged to Sakura. And Sakura was like her guardian angel. In a sense.

"Alright, slowly now." Easing her into the bed, the pinkette pulled up the thick covers, and prepared to head out and downstairs. But Ino's plaintive cry stopped her. She looked over.

"Stay. Stay with me. Please, Sakura." Right now, Ino didn't want to be alone. And Sakura cursed herself for even giving the idea a hint of thought. Pulling the chair over, she flipped it around, sitting down with her chest against the back. She gave Ino yet another goofy smile, as she folded her arms over the top. "Want me to read you a story, too?" Ino felt her heart flutter.

"No…but how's about you tell me one, instead? You've got a great imagination." Sakura mused over this for a moment, before accepting the challenge with gusto. "You got it! Okay, once upon a time, there was this king who ruled over the land. But he was a really evil guy-he was bald, and wanted the entire world to be the same way! To be bald, you know? His ancestors had been like that, too. So, he sent out…"

Ino had wanted to stay awake the entire time, as she listened to Sakura's tale while trying to keep a straight face. But it was impossible. Every time the pinkette imitated a character or a sound effect, swinging her arms and dancing around with the funniest expression upon her face, Ino had to let out some kind of sign of her approval. Once again, it was just the two of them in their own little world, a fantasy that no fairy tale princess' life could compare to.

This was true bliss.

…

'TNK' 'RSTLE'

'WSH' 'FWOO'

It was nighttime now. Ino lay curled beneath her thick comforter, head resting comfortably atop the fat pillow. Beside the bed was Sakura, sprawled out in the chair with her legs propped on the end of the bed. A soft snort would leave her mouth every few minutes, as she twitched with her head thrown back. She'd moved the chair before the lights had gone out. Downstairs, Kakashi was snoozing on the couch-Sakura's old abode-while Gaara was staring silently out the window, seated cross-legged on the floor. He never slept.

"_Nngh…" Ino felt her body beginning to sink down. She was in her bed, wasn't she? So why should such a sensation be occurring? Tentatively, she opened her eyes._

"_A-ahh! Help! Help me!" The scream had flown from her mouth before she'd realized it. Surrounding her were writhing inky black shadows. They were engulfing her bed, and she was slowly being absorbed by them. She let out a pitiful cry, as their skin came in contact with her wound._

"_Aw…does it hurt? I bet it does." That same mocking tone-Ino instantly knew who was haunting her dreams. She whirled around, locking blue eyes onto glowing red. "K-Kaijuu…" Why was he here now?_

"_What a good girl! You remembered!" He swooped closer, gruesome grin in place as he ran a finger over her cheek. She shivered; his touch was like ice! She tried to squirm away, but he caught her in a clawed grasp._

"_I'm glad to see you again, sweetie…after all, you and I have quite a bit to discuss. Don't we…mother?" Raising his free hand, a small ball of blue fire appeared in the center, floating a few inches above the palm. With a crackle of energy, a face appeared in the flames. Ino cried out in shock, recognizing the person inside. "M-mom!" Kaijuu merely let out another cruel chuckle, as the image vanished with a sharp whoosh of air._

"_That's right. Mommy dearest…and she's waiting for you, Ino. We all are." He leaned even closer, teeth nearly grazing her ears. "Remember the deal-your soul __for hers. I've had my eye on you for so very long now…and at long last, you're finally in my grasp!" She tried not to quiver, as she boldly spoke up. "I-if you're as powerful as you claim, then why-why bother making the deal in the first place?"_

'_FWOOM' "Eek!" Ino had been shoved backwards roughly, and her skull smashed into the headboard. She let out a low groan, as the demon loomed over her, breath hot and putrid against her skin. Her side was throbbing now, as he let out his reply in a long, smoky hiss. "I do what I please…as easy as it would be to merely eat the two of you together…no, I want you to suffer. Suffer, Yamanaka Ino! Your end will not be as simple as you wish it to be!" And with a final swipe, he sent her falling through the mattress, her screams drowned out by his maniacal laughter and last words._

"_Back to the place where it all began…I want you to face the resting place of your own personal human thorn! His legacy has forever tainted you!"_

Ino woke up shrieking bloody murder, the blankets clutched tightly in her fists as she thrashed wildly. It took Sakura and the others the rest of the night just to calm her down again-as well as to settle their own nerves.

This was going to be a foe-and a fight-for the ages. Would they really be able to take this entity down?

**A/N: 'rim shot' How was that?**

**Yeah, yeah, I know-it's pretty heavy on the drama. But I wanted to come up with the ultimate baddie that I could think of: somebody with enough connections and power to tie this whole arc of the story together. And so far, the forecast is cloudy skies and rain. Teh angst. :( Don't worry, though-the humor should come back soon enough. In a believable way, as well. 'raises left hand w/right over heart'**

**Next time: Upping the ante. Somebody's going down-but from which side? The war is about to begin.**

**=^.^=**


	17. Time of Your Life pt 2

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**'gulps' On with the update? 'slinks away'**

Chapter Seventeen: Time of Your Life (pt.2)

'CHIRP' 'CHIRP'

"…urgh…"

The afternoon sun was streaming through the window, as Ino's eyes opened to the familiar scenery of her bedroom. The light was shining down upon her blankets, and she felt as if she were being cooked. Making a motion to kick them off, she let out a cry of pain as the sensation of angry daggers sliced through her side. It all came back to her then, in one bitter realization: she was home, an escapee from the hospital and preparing for a crash course with Hell itself.

_Kaijuu._ The memory of her last encounter with the monster was enough to make her want to hide back beneath the thick sheets, and not have to face the leer of absolution itself. There was no way she was going to get out of this one alive. He'd said it himself. Her soul-or else Akane would be lost forever. Ino inhaled sharply, trying to keep the floodgates from opening once more.

"Ino-Pig? Hey, you're finally up." That light, somewhat silly tone instantly caught Ino's attention. Turning around as best she could without aggravating her wound, she saw Sakura standing in the doorway, pink hair disheveled and grin slightly tired upon her face. But her green eyes were bright with elation, and she made her way to the chair that was still next to the bedside. It was as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from the blonde's shoulders, as the pinkette sat down beside her. "Got a good rest this time?"

"I'm not sure…I-I don't remember anything after that nightmare." Ino had to look away then; her heart was going crazy in her chest. Seeing Sakura so concerned and gentle, steadfast by her side like a loyal canine companion-minus the drooly red tongue-was enough to send her pulse into a spiraling turmoil. This was Sakura! Sakura, her hyperactive roommate from another realm? The girl who was always toting a miniature army arsenal around her waist and on her back? Her best friend, something that she hadn't had in far too long? So what was going on here?

"Those two cutups are getting ready down below." Brushing a stray strand of bubblegum locks from her eyes, the pinkette gave Ino a reassuring smile. "We'll probably head out later this evening, just as soon as we have a lead on where we're goin'." Sakura knew that Ino was worrying herself into a breakdown over her mother and the impending offensive. She was going to do everything in her power to get her soul back, for Ino's sake. That 'Kaijuu' rat wouldn't know what had hit him. Glancing over silently at her troubled partner, Sakura felt her heart skip.

When had she grown so fond and protective of her stubborn partner-in-crime? It was like she hadn't truly existed until they'd been thrown together. Ino meant everything to her now. When she was so carefree and happy-just like that day in the park-nothing out there could rival the glow of her joy. It was something that the pinkette was determined to bring back to her, personal cost be damned. And this sudden declaration made her breath hitch in her chest.

"Hey. You two up and at 'em?" Thankfully, the low drawl of Kakashi interrupted the tension between both females. Gazing out at the door, they saw both the teacher and the redheaded prisoner standing and staring in inquiry. Sakura nodded, and rose from her place beside the blonde. "Yup. Pig woke up a few moments ago. We're just sorting out the last few loose ends." She tilted her head, a new expression of uncomfortable confusion crossing her features. "But we still have no idea where that prick is lurking…"

"That's the one main issue. How can you fight an enemy whose location may very well be on Jupiter?" Kakashi shook his head, and Gaara began picking at the doorframe in agitation. "What a coward. If I had my powers, there wouldn't be enough left of him to sprinkle as fertilizer." Sakura raised an eyebrow at this unexpected statement, and Kakashi turned to face the male.

"That's right-I almost forgot about that." And with a tap of his hand, the glowing white band appeared around his wrist once more, before shattering into glittering particles and fading away. "There you go. As of now, your sentence has been suspended." He fixed Gaara with a fierce glare. "You help to take down this cretin, and I'll be willing to vouch for you and try to make all those black marks just…disappear." He stuck out a hand. "Is it a deal?"

Without hesitation, the hothead shook on it. "It'll be my pleasure." A nasty grin was beginning to twist upwards upon his lips, and Sakura could only begin to imagine what kinds of sadistic thoughts were on his mind. She only had one single clue to go on: a _lot_.

"Anyways," and Sakura cleared her throat with as much authority as she could muster, "sorry to break up this little moment of male bonding or whatever that you have going on, but we've still got a major issue at hand here! Where in the seven suns is Kai-juu-jube?" Ino had to smile at the deliberate trip up on Sakura's part, treating that menace like nothing more than a piece of dirt. And seeing that glimmer of hope in Ino's baby blues from the corner of her eye was more than enough to get the pinkette's heart skipping like an electro-shocked potato. Or something just as similar.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed and he sighed in exasperation. "Well then, do you have anything helpful to contribute here?" Sakura flipped him off but said nothing. "Just as I thought. He hasn't given us a single hint as to where to find him. Apparently, he likes to fancy himself as some kind of God being." He crossed his arms over his chest in quiet seething. "I'll tell you this much, though: those who get too close to God will ultimately wind up flat on their ass in the dirt. This goes for both humans and demons alike." All three in the now bewildered-and unintentional-audience were staring at Kakashi in slack-jawed awe.

As intriguing as his mini-speech was however, it didn't bring anyone in the group any closer to an answer. Ino shut her eyes tightly, searching through her most recent memories for any scrap of information; something that could prove useful. She couldn't fight, yes; but she had more experiences with this-this thing, than anyone else had. So there had to be at least one solid clue to go on.

_Think Ino, think! What did he say the last time he showed up…?_ As queasy as it made her to remember that horrid dream, she forced her thoughts back, every violent detail glaring in her mind's eye. The sensation of being held down and absorbed by the darkness…

"_I do what I please…as easy as it would be to merely eat the two of you together…no, I want you to suffer. Suffer, Yamanaka Ino! Your end will not be as simple as you wish it to be!" _Ino's skin broke out into fresh goosebumps, but she trudged on. Sifting through the cruel laughter and the image of her mother, a startling realization flew forth from her lips before she even felt her mouth move. The others looked at her in stunned curiosity. "Say that again?"

"Huh?" It was as if Ino had just come to from a deep sleep. She blinked, not quite understanding why all three were watching her with eagle-eyed stares. It was a bit unnerving. She shrank back, only to feel a soft touch upon her forearm. Glancing over, Ino locked eyes with a desperate Sakura. "Y-you said…something about going 'back to the place where it all began.' What does that mean, Pig?" Ino blinked once more, biting her lips in concentration.

_Where it all began…? When did he say that?_ Drifting into the past yet again, Ino saw Kaijuu's swirling red eyes and that wicked, bloodthirsty grin. His mouth moved, as if in slow motion. The words that followed were over-amplified, with every syllable drawn out like a speech program.

"_Back…to the place where it all began…I want you... to face the resting place of your own personal human thorn! His legacy…has forever tainted you!"_

"Back…to the place where it all began. To face the resting place of…of my own personal human thorn. The one whose legacy…has forever tainted me." The two males were puzzled; it sounded like some kind of riddle. Even Ino was confused by his last response. What-or who-could he possibly be referring to in her life? How many guys did she know?

But Sakura understood it immediately. She hadn't forgotten that raw discussion that she and the blonde had shared, so long ago in that seemingly ancient flower shop. Every last detail rang out in her mind, as clear as a crystal bell. Her grip around Ino's arm tightened.

"Pig…he's talking 'bout your dad."

Ino's heart felt too heavy to continue beating. It was as if it were made of lead. Her mouth opened and closed, as she struggled to comprehend exactly what Sakura was suggesting. "Y-you-I mean, it's-you can't be serious." She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't. She'd gotten over his death a long time ago! He hadn't been a part of her life then, so why would he matter now? Everything associated with him only brought on more suffering and blackened photographs, tucked far away in her childhood memories.

But Sakura knew she was right. "You said…that your dad was a drinker? And after he died, your mom picked up the bottle?" She leaned closer, emerald green eyes unflinchingly staring straight into Ino's wavering blue pools of ice. "Ino…how did he die? And where? You know this. You told me."

"N-no…" Ino didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to give such a thought any life or substance! But the pinkette refused to let go. Kakashi and Gaara could say nothing, looking back and forth between the two girls like spectators at a tennis match. Just how much else had they been left out of the loop on?

Sakura kept pushing, gaze still trained intently on her companion who was currently wrestling with a bad case of denial. She shook the blonde slightly, returning her attention to the bitter subject matter.

"Say it. Say it, Pig. Please." Her voice had become so faint; a whispered plea to the fragile figure before her. And Ino couldn't hide it any longer. Her ugly past roared to the surface, breaking through the binds of nearly ten-plus years worth of pretending and refusal. "H-he…he…he d-drank-drank himself to death." The first tear she'd shed in reaction to her father's demise finally trickled down her milk-white cheek. "He drank himself to death in a bathroom stall…"

Sakura released the girl's arm from her grasp, but Ino did not move, gazing out at the creamy walls with one tear after another rolling down her face, expression a mask of shattered disbelief. The pinkette put the pieces together for the two other guests.

"Kaijuu is in that bathroom stall. The place where Ino's dad kicked the bucket." Her prominent brow furrowed in disgust. "It's a sick mockery of her history-and the thing that set all of this tangled wreckage into motion." Kakashi nodded slowly in response to this revelation, while Gaara simply continued to watch the crying statue of a being that was Ino. She hadn't moved at all since that sentence had left her mouth. He turned his gaze to Sakura. "Hey. Knucklehead."

"Gaara, this is no time for insults. We've just stumbled upon our road map to tracking down this bastard." Kakashi tried to deflect the redhead's obvious annoyance-and failed miserably. He was still focused on the now irritated Hunter as if the teacher didn't exist. "What do you want now, you Emo panda?"

For once, he paid no mind to the retort. That was a surprise. "How's about you put down the shrink clipboard, and take a look at your partner over there?" He headed back down the hall. "I think she needs you more than the rest of us do right now." Kakashi stood alone in frozen questioning, before it all hit him at once. Shoving the pinkette lightly and tsking under his breath, he too exited the room. Sakura had no choice but to face her troubled companion. "Uh…Ino…?"

The blonde made no motion to even suggest that she had heard Sakura's inquiry. Her tears continued to fall in silence, and Sakura was completely lost as how to comfort her.

"Y-you know…I always thought that I never gave a-gave a damn about him." This shaky statement caught Sakura off-guard. She watched Ino's pale lips, barely seeming to twitch even as she spoke these Earth-shaking words. "I-I never cried…never felt the pain…I-I always assumed that…that he was m-merely a shadow to me…and that left me n-nothing at all." She sniffled before continuing on. "B-but I guess…there was a tiny-a tiny piece of me…that did have some l-love-love for him after all…a-and it took all of this…j-just for me to-to find out."

The pinkette stared in absolute heartbreak, unable to handle the sight of Ino so beaten and battered. Without another thought, she had scooped the girl into her arms, and felt an immense wave of relief and gratefulness wash over her as Ino's own shivering limbs wrapped around her as well. She wasn't sobbing, but the hot tears were still dripping, and Sakura could feel them sinking through the fabric of her short sleeved shirt.

But she didn't care about that. She was just thankful to have Ino there with her in that moment, unchained and accepting. She held her even closer, and Ino returned the contact. Her heart was pounding as she felt the blonde's head snuggle against her neck.

It was so natural for Ino now; to be here like this with the pinkette. For all the aching and disarray, she could always count on Sakura to keep her grounded. Since stumbling into her life so long ago, she'd been the one constant that had never left her high and dry. No matter if she was a little eccentric, or even loony. She was there. She understood. She cared. And right then and there, Ino couldn't have asked for anything more. All of the old scars and wounds were forgotten, as they simply sat there; together as one in that unbreakable embrace.

Eventually though, the moment had to end. As they pulled apart, Ino fixed her partner with a small but steady smile. "Sakura…I'm ready."

Sakura returned the gesture. "Then let's get the rest o' the gang, and prepare for some spring cleaning." To hear her familiar kooky turns-of-phrase made Ino feel ten times more confident, as the pinkette helped her to her feet.

It was time to go on the Hunt once again.

**…**

'SHF' 'SHF' "You're sure this is the way?"

'SHF' 'SHF' "Positive. Those jerkwad cops actually made us go out to the site afterwards. I never forgot it."

The sun had set about a half hour ago. Now the ragtag crew had begun their journey to the battlegrounds; the location where Kaijuu was lying in wait for them. He expected Ino to show up and surrender? Well, he had a whole 'nother thing coming to him!

"That slimy nematode won't know what hit him when we're through!" Flying through the trees, Sakura held Ino up against her in sturdy arms, while Kakashi and Gaara kept the pace beside them. "He's gonna regret messin' with a Demon Hunter!" Ino swore that she'd felt the pinkette's heart swell with pride beneath her chest.

"And an ANBU." Kakashi was just as eager to knock this guy for a loop. After all, wasn't it his job to protect and serve? This was what he'd been trained for! It was what he lived for! Gaara said nothing, but Sakura was pretty confident that there were a good few victorious scenarios circling through his mind-and they all involved a ton of gore and carnage. That was satisfying enough for her.

"Here! It's right down there, past the benches!" Dropping down through the pine trees, the small group landed in the middle of a faded field. Even in the sparse evening light, it was apparent that this place hadn't been visited or tended to in at least a couple of years. The grass was long and dry, filled with garbage and all manner of wildlife. The benches were a sorry mess, made of wood that was nearly rotted straight through. Passing the pitiful seats, they fixed their gazes ahead of them.

Rusted playground structures loomed in the shadows, not having been touched by the hands of a child for proper use in ages. With the surrounding jungle of foliage, it resembled a scene from some depressing futuristic story. And just beyond those…

"Is that it?" There were two doorways, set in dingy, chipped white plaster and tiles. Only the ragged hanging signs up above gave any distinction as to what they were or which was which. In plain painted characters, the one to the left read 'women', while the other on the right said 'men'. This was the one that Ino pointed at. Taking a last sweeping glance around the area Kakashi headed in first, followed by Gaara. And bringing up the rear were Sakura and Ino, the former still carrying the latter. Noticing this but a few steps away from the entrance, she quickly set the blonde back on her feet.

"Eheh-sorry, Ino-Pig. Guess I forgot myself there." Letting out a nervous chuckle, the pinkette was startled to suddenly feel a warm hand slipping into her own. Looking up, she took in the serene, although fearful, expression of her companion. Ino's blue orbs glittered in the darkness like cool gems, and Sakura almost thought she was falling into them.

"P-please…I don't want to be alone." The girl's delicately imploring request, even if it hadn't been fully voiced, was not something that Sakura was about to deny. Wrapping her fingers securely with Ino's, they took the final steps through the threshold-into the land of the dead and forgotten lies.

"Jeez…this place is way too oppressive." Kakashi coughed behind his mask, scanning over the broken stall doors and various graffiti. Gaara had his arms crossed, following in stone cold silence. He just wanted to kill something already. Sakura was keeping her vision trained on the ground in front of her, but from the corner of her eyes she would peek behind to make sure that Ino was okay. She couldn't begin to imagine what she was feeling here.

_T-this place is so creepy…and it's not just because it's abandoned. _Ino trembled, as she stepped over a lone cinder block. Who had brought that there? In less than a second her thoughts had been roughly dragged back to the present moment. There was a readily descending chill in the air, and it was growing stronger the closer they drew towards the end of the line. The last stall seemed to pop out at them, as if waiting for them to push the door aside and peer in. Ino's heart skipped violently, as the sluggish march continued on.

"Last one, right?" Kakashi glanced at the petrified blonde for confirmation. Receiving a terrified mute nod in return, he prepared to open the barrier. It was slightly ajar, but offered no hint as to what lay inside. Counting down in his head, Kakashi steeled himself for the task of bringing the team into Kaijuu's home field. _Five…four…three…two…_

"Oh, you goddamn sissy! Just get on with it already!" And with a mighty swing of his fist, Gaara had slammed the door back impatiently. It crashed against the wall noisily, and Sakura felt her partner jump next to her. She clutched at her hand, in hopes of reassuring her of their future victory. Seriously-who knew that a freaking public bathroom could be so frightening?

In tepid anticipation, all four heads leaned forwards, to peek into the former crime scene. What they found…

"…is this a joke?" Kakashi was staring with one eyebrow raised in annoyance. Aside from a toilet which was stuffed to the brim with paper and some vulgar scrawls upon the stall walls, the tiny space was empty of any demonic presences. Gaara gave the teacher a smug smirk. "See? There's no reason for you to"-

'FWOOSH' But he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. From beneath their feet, ghostly green light shot upwards, instantly engulfing the area with a sickly mist. Whipping out Midnight, Sakura shoved Ino behind her as the group bunched together, preparing for a confrontation.

'CRKLE' 'CRKLE' 'SHAA-WSH' "Yeek!" What they weren't ready for however, was the ground giving way beneath them and falling into a seemingly endless pitch black pit-which was where they were flying through, as well. Sakura let out a few choice curses before firing her pistol in Gaara's direction. "You jackass! This is all your fault!" In response he sent out a stream of sand to surround himself with. "Oh, bite me! At least we're getting somewhere…!"

'WHAM' "Ouch…" And wherever it was, it was obviously very hard. The new terrain beneath them was solid and craggy, and Kakashi winced as he sat up. Rubbing his spine, he cast a sarcastic glance of appreciation to the fuming redhead. "No, _really_ Gaara. What _would_ we do without you? Impatient little warmonger."

"Uggh…" As Ino came to however, she didn't feel the same surface as everyone else. Tentatively reaching out with her hand to brush over the soft material beneath her, her eyes flew open as she realized, with much anguish and worry, that she'd landed on top of Sakura. "S-Sakura! Oh my God-your side! A-are you hurt? I'm so sorry!" Quickly scrambling from atop the pinkette, she was stunned to suddenly hear the girl let out her familiar chuckle.

"What, you don't think it was intentional?" Grunting softly as she rose up, she pointed at Ino's stitches, hidden beneath her shirt and sweater. "Like I'd really let you crash land with that in tow." As touching as the action was, it was still quite foolhardy. "Y-you idiot!" Ino could only bop her partner on the head in grateful exasperation. "You're healing too, you know!" The pinkette shrugged.

"Meh. Pain is pain. But I'd rather feel my own…than have to see yours." She gave Ino a shy smile, and the blonde was now desperately trying to force her heart back down into her chest. Currently, it was holed up in her lower throat. Where was this all coming from?

"So…where are we, Mr. Scarecrow?" Kakashi shot the pinkette a dirty glare. "Oh, for the love of-what do you think this is, Moby Dick? Gilligan's Island? We're in Bat Country! This is one of the many uncharted realms of the Devil himself! And you're cracking jokes? For the last fucking time, I'm not a scarecrow!" Sakura simply snorted at his tirade. "Yeah, yeah. And I'm not Lord Giga." Ino gaped in dumbfounded shock-was Sakura actually comparing herself to one of the gnarly characters from her bedtime story? Not that it was a bad tale, but he wasn't exactly a good guy!

But the moment of innocent quizzical comedy was shattered in a heartbeat. The setting was filled with the raucous, bloodcurdling laughter of an entity that they all knew far too well by this point. Kaijuu. He'd finally decided to make his appearance. And from the sound of things he had one hell of a show in store for them.

'FWSH' "O-oh!" As if a switch had been flipped by invisible hands, the scenery was suddenly lit up with a burning orange glow. They were in a gigantic pit, surrounded by rocks and stone. Nothing so fantastic-so why were all of them on edge?

"Ah, Ino…defiant to the end." He was speaking now, but there was still no sign of him anywhere. Ino held her breath as he continued with his teasing. "You were supposed to be on your own-unless you wanted the peanut gallery to take part in your death, perhaps?" Ino shrunk behind Sakura in fear, and the girl leapt to her feet in unbridled rage.

"Alright, you crawdad! Come on out and fight! Think you're so hot just 'cause you can do voiceovers or something? Big deal! So you're a narrator! That doesn't make you any less of a chicken!" Kakashi and Gaara were standing now as well, ready to back up the loudmouthed Hunter in combat. Ino rose to her feet too, but was unable to step forwards and take the full brunt of the demon's fury.

Kaijuu didn't stop his laughter or taunts. "So, you've decided to fight back? A real pity-now your friends will have to suffer in your name, too." Kakashi lifted the bandana over his eye, and the blood red orb rapidly flicked to and fro, searching for any hint of activity on the monster's part. Kaijuu tsked into the vast expanse of underground. "None of your fancy tricks will work on me-I only have one objective and one objective only: to destroy Yamanaka Ino!" The sand started to swirl around Gaara's stationary figure, as he waited for Kaijuu to slip up.

"Yeah, right!" Sakura fired off a shot from her gun, and her green eyes were seething with rage. "If you want to get to her, you'll have to tear your way through me!" Ino stared in awe and adoration at the unbridled devotion of her companion before her, not caring about the butterflies in her stomach or the pounding of her heart, as if it were going to explode inside and tear a hole through her chest. All she knew then, for the first time that she could remember, was that Sakura meant more to her than anything else. She wanted to yell it out loud; to scream out that she-

"Mm…you make this even easier for me. Very well then." And in a flash of jagged black, Sakura had flown back from the force of the blow. Ino's thoughts had frozen as if they'd been slashed through with a razor, as she felt the warm splash of blood upon her skin. She watched in gasping horror, as Sakura landed upon the ground with a heavy thud. Her eyes were flickering, lids half lowered and casting a grim shadow over the green irises.

Ino's legs began to wobble, and she could only gape, from a stunned Kakashi to a disbelieving Gaara. It was as if this were a dream; as if the scenery would suddenly disappear and she'd wake up in her room once again, with Sakura watching her from the chair. Her familiar smile in place, stretched out over her face like a glowing stream, reflecting into her mischievous green eyes…

'TMP' 'TMP' Ino took one step forwards. And then another. And another. She kept walking forwards timidly, until she'd broken into a full run, skidding to her knees beside the still body of Sakura. Her breaths were shuddering, reverberating against her still tender stitches as she took in every last detail, down to the gaping bloody hole in her partner's stomach. Turning her head with a faint twitch, Sakura gave Ino a last tender gaze.

"Eh…eheh. Guess I-I wasn't fast enough…sorry, Pig." Ino's eyes were already overflowing with tears, as Kaijuu's callous laughter echoed through the makeshift arena. "B-but, hey…a-at least I-I was able…to repay you for all your kindness." With a weak flip of her hand, Sakura tried to wipe the tears from the blonde's cheeks. But it fell back to the ground before it reached its destination. Ino watched as her companion's eyes closed, and her last words made Ino's final restraints vanish in a flash.

"N-no…Sakura…no, you can't do this! You can't die on me! You can't!" The two males could only watch, unable to offer any support. Kaijuu materialized before them at last, malicious grin seeming to take in the venomous lighting around them. "See what happens when you don't follow orders?"

Hearing the blatant mockery in the monster's tone, Ino finally let her heart speak for her.

"Y-you can't leave me like this…because I love you!"

**A/N: ...umm...'ducks' Please, don't kill me! I promised a happy ending, and it _will _happen! It's just...gonna take a little time and maneuvering! You'll see-that's all I can say here! Any more will give it away! Just know that the final showdown does take place next episode! And soon...all will be revealed. 'cue mystic-sounding music' Yes, I fail as a narrator. XD**

**Take care, everyone...**

**=^.^"=**


	18. This is My Stop

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Eighteen: This is My Stop

'CLANG' 'WHAM' "Damn…it! Hold-hold still!"

'FWSH' 'SWSH' "Ha! You really think you can beat me?"

The battle between the ragtag team of ANBU and criminal versus demonic shape shifter had begun, and so far neither group had anything to show for their efforts. Although Kakashi and Gaara were no worse for the wear, they hadn't managed to put a single scratch upon Kaijuu. And they were starting to lose their energy. The monster was having a field day, mocking them as they swung again and again only to fail to crush their target.

"I already told you," Kaijuu hissed through a wide grin, as the soldier dove straight at him with two kunai knives in hand. "You cannot stop me! I exist for one reason, and one reason alone: to exterminate Yamanaka Ino! All others who get in my way will merely become extra bodies!" He vanished, and Kakashi skidded in his tracks, only to be struck from behind by the malicious being. He fell forwards as a sharp black spike protruded through his chest.

'POOF' "You're gonna have to do better than that to take me out!" The corpse disappeared, and Kaijuu whirled around-to be smashed head on in the face by Kakashi's foot. He flew back, growling as his red eyes scanned over the two opponents. There was Kakashi, bandana pulled up and revealing his crimson eye, and-wait a minute. Where was the other one?

'SHAA…' "Looking for me?" The creepy whisper wafted into the demon's ear, as a fine stream of sand began to wrap itself around his shadowy form. He squirmed, as the grains tightened bit by bit, cutting into his body. Leaping away to land next to Kakashi, Gaara had a smirk of utter delight upon his face. Clutching out with his right hand, he uttered "Sabaku Kyuu", in a barely restrained monotone. With a flourish the sand ripped through Kaijuu's form, and the inky black pieces scattered to the sides. The redhead licked his lips. Was this guy for real? That had been too easy! Beside him, Kakashi gave a stiff nod.

"You certainly are eager to join your friend in the grave, huh?" And right before their eyes, the monster started to reform. The torn murky parts swarmed together as one in the center of the makeshift arena, and Kaijuu regenerated to his original status before a curse could leave either of the males mouths. "Son of a"-

'WHOOM' "Yaagh!" They flew back through the air, as Kaijuu released a horrific blast of negative energy. "I told you that I only exist for her alone! You can't even touch me! You're nothing more than _ghosts_ to me!" Cackling wickedly, he hovered above the craggy ground, surveying the damage to his playthings.

"D-Damn it…" Sprawled upon the ground, bleeding and battered, Kakashi and Gaara were struggling to rise once more, and take up their offensive stances. But the fighter was clutching at his ribs, while the psychotic youth was on his knees, spitting up watery blood that dripped down to his hands. Kaijuu continued to laugh as his sheer form circled around the two figures. For every minute motion they made to rise again, he forced them back down with another swift blow. Not a single one of their moves had left any traces.

"Pathetic…" His lips curled up over his jagged smile. A harsh laugh was heard as the shadowy presence turned away from the stalled forms below him. As his stare fixed elsewhere, Gaara made a frantic attempt to summon his sand. So far, it wasn't working.

Kaijuu's hungry grin could have classified as a danger in itself. The venom in his smile was undeniable, almost palpable. And it was all aimed at one figure. "I exist only to destroy her…and I exist only because of her. Only Yamanaka Ino…she is my root, and my reaper." He chuckled darkly. "But she's nowhere near strong enough to stop me now."

At that moment, said blonde was currently huddled up in a corner of the underground pit, holding the lifeless Sakura in her arms. Her pink-hued head lay in her lap, and Ino was doing all she could not to break down into helpless blubbering. This was it. This was the end.

Sakura was dead. She was gone. Kaijuu had killed her. She had come out here, to help Ino-save her and her mother from the clutches of this madman. But instead, she had wound up dying for her. Taking the fall for something that Ino still didn't understand. Why? Why was this happening to her? Why had Kaijuu chosen her to haunt? It didn't make any sense…

"There you are…" That low, icy tone made the hairs on Ino's neck stand on end. _Kaijuu._ It sounded like he was right beside her. But Ino didn't dare to look over. She could feel the fear building in her chest, feel it wrapping around her lungs like a snake. Her heart was in overdrive as the cold beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. A puff of breath grazed the shell of her ear, as the demon spoke once more. "I'm finished with those toy soldiers of yours…are you ready to die now?"

_I-I can't…__I can't do this..._Ino could feel her resistance slipping away. Her best friend and unrealized lover was dead in her arms. How could she possibly survive like this? It was hopeless. There was no way. No way, and no reason to try.

_B-but still…_As the shadow loomed ever closer, Ino felt a sharp kick of adrenaline, soaring up from her stomach. The weight in her lap seemed strangely hot to the touch. With a cry Ino scrambled away, leaving the fallen Sakura behind. Panting, the blonde pressed herself up against the wall, blue eyes now locked on the oppressive form of Kaijuu, as he drifted across the rocky ground and Sakura's motionless body. First one and then the other-it was as if the pinkette were now speaking right into her ear.

_Don't give up, Pig-don't let him win!_ As much as Ino wanted to believe in these words, though, her emotions said otherwise as the demon crept nearer to her shivering form. Kaijuu was in the here and now-and without Sakura, there was no way Ino would be able to take him down. She could only continue her blind scurry backwards, hands fumbling to keep her balanced as the steadily throbbing pain in her side continued to grow, and the stone wall disappeared from beneath her fingertips. She staggered a few steps, dazed but still standing.

She had failed. After all their adventures and fights, after everything that Ino had discovered about herself and the world around her, she was going to die...at the hands of this being from Hell. Completely at his mercy, unable to save her own hide, much less the ones of those she cared for.

_Everybody…I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…_Ino whimpered softly, as a curling arm wound its way up, from her chest to her neck and around her jaw. She choked, as it pulled tighter and tighter like a living scarf. Kaijuu was practically drooling, as he leaned in close to share a final sentiment to a frozen Ino.

"You know…I never knew it'd be this easy to take you down. And once I'm finished with you, your energy is going to make me one helluva contender for the seat down below. Just think: your death ensures my immortality." Ino didn't want to imagine it. It was too much to bear. She was weak, and she was a coward. The whole world was going to suffer because of her missing spine. Her friends…her family. _My mother…_

'CRK' "Urgh-!" Ino could feel the blood rush to her head, as the colors danced in and out of her vision. She couldn't breathe, and now her chest was starting to hurt from lack of air. This didn't help any with the already agonizing pain in her side. Her fingers clutched at the ground, digging into the dirt as her life slowly ebbed away. The pounding of her pulse echoed painfully in her ears, and Ino could only think that perhaps it would have been better if he'd finished her off quickly. A stab to the heart, and then she'd have been free. She would have fallen to her knees, lifeless beside the one she loved.

_T-the one I love…Sakura…_The scenery was beginning to swim before her cloudy blue eyes. Everything went silent, as the lack of air slowly took its toll upon her senses and appearance. Her already pale skin was turning pasty, and her neck was throbbing in Kaijuu's vicious grip. As her eyes rolled up inside her head, a sudden flash of motion caught her attention…

…just as a solid blast of energy split through her and the demon. Ino gasped and sputtered, as she went flying back through the air. She could feel the heat licking and scorching the ends of her clothing and hair-the smoke and flames were tickling the very edge of her skin. Her old wounds were practically screaming from the contact. And just as it sank in that she had somehow, been separated from Kaijuu's claws-

'WHAM' 'THUD' 'TMBLE'

Ino had crashed into the ground, like a downed airplane. She had skid across the tiny rocks and red dirt, and now lay in a crumpled heap, face forwards. Her blonde locks were falling out of their usually tight ponytail, and were now splayed across her face like a golden sheet. They looked dark and heavy in the humid lighting. Her clothes were tattered, and the few bare patches of skin were coated in dirt chunks and fresh blood. It was impossible to tell whether she was still alive, or if she had finally kicked the bucket.

But would it really be such a good thing if she were to cheat death this time around? If it meant going back to suffer in Kaijuu's clutches? The demon had already recovered from the unexpected shot, and was now rounding on its caster. Namely, one Hatake Kakashi.

"Y-you idiot! You shot _her_, too! And _now_ how are we gonna get out of this one?" Gaara was seething, but he couldn't do a thing about it. He could only teleport, and hope for the best. Even his control of the vast desert was no match for this being. It was as if he existed purely for the purpose of destruction; even Gaara had his limits.

But for once, the redhead wasn't focused solely on his own survival. Kakashi had used whatever energy he had managed to gather as a distraction-and a life saver. Yes, Ino had caught part of the brunt, but at least she could breathe. She was still in one piece. Kaijuu had taken most of the hit. And it hadn't been aimed to kill him, no. Even the hardened ANBU soldier knew that it was not going to be by their hands that the monster would fall. It had been simply a move on his part, to jolt the real hero into action.

"We're not…" It hurt, but Kakashi stumbled to his feet, looking Kaijuu straight in the eye through a dripping mixture of blood and sweat. Gaara was watching him, frozen in unadulterated shock. His jaw hung in utter disbelief, as the weathered fighter shook his head with a few labored twitches. "We…probably won't make it. Probably. That's why…" and at this, he jabbed a thumb in the direction of Ino's fallen form. "We…have to do whatever we can, to…to keep her alive. Because she…can send this son of a bitch packing."

He wiped the sticky substance from above his eyes. "She just has to realize it first." Chuckling under his breath, Kakashi carefully pulled out another kunai from his thigh pouch. Gaara was dumbstruck.

"So, even though none of our moves or fighting styles are working, you're going to risk personal safety on a gamble based off of her sudden awakening of purpose and power? Is that it?" Kakashi sighed, turning his tired but steady gaze to his hotheaded partner. "Well, _duh_."

This time, Gaara shook his head. "Always honorable to the bitter end, eh?" He cracked his neck. "So be it. I'll call your bet, old man-but for both of our sakes, you'd better hope for a miracle ending. Because if we die," and Gaara paused then, as the jagged grains of sand began to gather around his now standing form once more, "I will _never_ let you live it down in Hell!"

The silver-haired ninja let out an annoyed sigh. "Why do you all think I'm so old? Is it the way I talk?" Then he snorted, upon taking in the redhead's reply. "This from a hardened criminal? I'd like to see you carry it out." Between the two of them, Kaijuu merely smirked to himself, as dark shadows slipped over the rocks towards his beckoning form. "So, have you decided? Must I honestly kill you both before my job is through?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "You won't win. Even if we fall, you can't survive. _She'll_ stop you." He pointed at his temple. "I've got it all solved, and it'll only take one more jab to push her over that edge before she discovers the truth." Now he was smirking. "You'll never harness her abilities for yourself."

"And you'll pay dearly for what you did to Haruno…" Beside him, Gaara was glowering. This latest threat was met with a growl of annoyance.

"I tire of your games and monologues. Allow me to wrap this up for you!" With that, Kaijuu lunged forwards. The two males weren't far behind, repeating the action with war cries and preemptive strikes.

Among it all, Yamanaka Ino lay unresponsive and bleeding. Her breathing was shallow as her life flickered in and out of focus. Perhaps she should just let go? Could she? Just release; let go of the pain, the dreariness, and fall into the cold, clammy hands of Death?

"_Ino…hey, Ino…come on, kid-snap to it…" _No, she couldn't. There was someone else; somebody was calling out to her. Coaxing her, urging her to reply-trying to get her attention. But for what reason?

Whatever the case, Ino felt herself slip away. Away from the suffering and the confusion, the shock of loss and the twinge of guilt at her pathetic attempt to take responsibility. She even forgot about the ache in her side; the stitches burned where her body had bumped against the ground. It was as if the Earth had swallowed her whole. Everything was dark, and all was quiet. She didn't know if she was still lying down, or if she was standing. The tension was so thick, Ino could practically taste it on her tongue as she took in a shaky gulp of air.

'FLASH' A light. There was a light on now. Like a spotlight, singular and aimed above her. Ino could sense it-there was a new presence in this space with her, but she couldn't tell if it was friend or foe. The energy was so muddled, and it was fluctuating as well. It kept flickering in and out of focus, like a radio signal. Again, Ino took a trembling breath.

But as she was about to exhale, a low, rough voice echoed across the expanse. Her heart was skipping erratically, and her mind struggled to register the sound in her head. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be…there was no way!

The speaker addressed her once again. "Hey. Ino. You do remember me, right? Can't have been that small when I croaked." A choked sob fell from the blonde's lips, as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders, turning to face the unmistakable specter from her past.

"…Dad?"

**…**

Ino couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe, couldn't talk; it was as if her entire body were on lockdown. As she pivoted around, blue eyes scanning straight ahead, they almost popped right out of her head at the familiar sight that greeted her. It was one she never thought she'd see again-and she wasn't certain if she even wanted to.

Faded jacket. Stained t-shirt. Shaggy, sandy locks that fell into narrow eyes, set in a stern stare. The mud-covered pants. The hint of a belly hanging just over the edge of his belt. Realization was kicking in, and the effects weren't pretty. Ino was starting to shiver, as the events of eight years past began playing out in her mind like an old silent film.

Her mother. The phone. Those sirens. All the calls, the people coming in and out of the house. She bit her lip. The long drive, the scenery. The cops, all gathered at that grungy park.

She was supposed to have stayed in the car. With all those police officers on the scene, you'd think someone would have noticed a little girl wandering the area. But nobody did. Was it because of the darkness and high grass, or were they truly not paying attention? She had managed to slip by, completely unnoticed, under the yellow tape and through the restroom door. But as her eyes had looked over the scuffed walls and cracked floors, she'd heard the scream…

"Yeah…I was a right mess when they brought your mom out to ID me." Inoichi drew in a long breath, as if he were smoking. Then, he let it out in a loud sigh. "'Course, they weren't supposed to be handling the case like that, anyways. They knew procedure, but chose to fuck it up in favor of an early night in."

He coughed. "And just what were you doin' there, anyway? Akane was stupid enough to bring you, no surprises there, but why the hell did you come climbin' outta that car? Child sees a buncha cops, and her first reaction should be to stay away. That's the first sign ain't nothing good happening. Nothing at all." As the portly male continued to muse on these thoughts, Ino clenched her fists, not noticing as her knuckles turned ash white from the tension. Her focus was sorely on the figure before her.

"You came back…" Ino couldn't help it-she started to laugh. Inoichi looked at her, a puzzled expression upon his face. Her laughter was hollow and broken, and it seemed to bounce around them in the space that was now too small for the girl's liking. How could she be so close to him, this-this phantom? This mystery?

_The man that chose death over his own family._ Ino's heart hardened at the memory, and her laughter subsided. Now, she was glaring at Inoichi like the noonday sun. Her gaze was hot enough to melt ice.

"You came back, just to watch me fail. To see me die." She straightened up, and quickly averted her eyes as the male took a step forwards, clearing his throat. Ino had no clue what was going on, or what he may have been planning, but either way she was going to milk this opportunity for all it was worth. This was it: her one and only chance to show her father what he'd left behind. To tell him just how much it hurt, after he'd abandoned them.

"Why did you marry Mom, anyway? You were never around. And the last time we were together, it was because you'd decided to skip out on us!" Hot tears were beginning to spill over the corners of her eyes, and Ino hiccuped, trying to keep her voice steady. "You drank yourself to death! You k-killed yourself…was it really so horrible in our house? That you couldn't stand to be on the same level of-of existence as me? As Akane?"

Inoichi's expression did not change. Nor did he make any other motion to reach out to her, or rebut her claims. He stood there, allowing Ino's rage and anguish to wash over him. Here it was-the full extent of her secret suffering. Ino had dissolved into tears, and was crying bitterly to herself where she stood, stiff like a stone. "You never cared…never said goodbye…never even tried to…what did I do? What d-did we do…to make you h-hate us so…"

Whether this was a dream or some kind of bizarre initiation into the other side after death, it didn't change those feelings inside of her. And now, she'd finally gotten what she'd always wanted, but could never admit: her greatest wish. As she stood before this specter of unknown origin, every last wall had been knocked down. Her iron-clad defenses were no more. She was young again, experiencing the day she had learned what death was; the day her childhood ended.

He'd just been sprawled out in that stall. His shoulder was pressed into the side of the toilet, while his feet stuck out near the base. The bottle that had been a constant in his life had tumbled from his grasp in death, and now lay upon the tile a few feet away. Ino's innocent eyes had taken in every last detail, down to the bruised pallor of his skin, and the sour scent that clung to the air. She'd heard another scream then, but this time she wasn't sure if it had been uttered by her mother or herself. Then, everything faded to black.

"Ino." He was calling out to her again. This time, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She had already admitted that she'd missed him-that her life wasn't the same without him, and that, for all his flaws, she had loved her father dearly. She'd tried to forget; had managed to bury that memory for so many years, hiding the pain of loss and no answers. How much more of her spirit did he need to break before he'd be satisfied?

"Ino, I don't know much 'bout what you're babbling on and on here…but what I do know is this. It ain't your time. And I'd be damned if I'mma let my daughter die without setting her straight." Ino's head shot up, and she stared at Inoichi in consternation. Was she hearing this right? Had he just…called her his daughter willingly?

"What happened, it happened. You can't change the past. I was an adult, and I screwed up. That's my life I wasted. But I'm not gonna let you waste yours jumping in after me. I ain't worth it...but you are." And for the first time since their reunion-in fact, since what felt like forever, Inoichi's thin lips curved up into a tired smile beneath his mustache. Ino could feel it; something was about to snap.

"Go back and live properly, kid. Feel the love now. For your mom. For that oddball you picked up. Hell, even me, if you're so obliged." He shrugged. "But don't go wasting your days replayin' the past. It ain't got any bearing here anymore. Be you, and _live_ for the life you have _in this world_. Live in the present, and start making every moment count. 'Cause they all do, you know? Even the most minor little details." Ino's breathing was hitched, as he raised his hand and gave her a small salute. "Now let it go…and wake up, will ya?"

'FWOOSH' And that was it. With a roar and a yank, the scenery abruptly changed once more. Red stained rocks, high walls. A narrow point of entry at the very top; a tiny dark hole that gave no indication of life or even its solidity. Another kunai went whizzing through the heavy air.

"Ah!" Ino let out a gasp, spluttering as she came to. Her eyes flashed open, as she sat up with a new realization and a surge of seething pain in her side. Her clothes were clinging to her panting frame, and she could taste dirt. But one thing was certain.

Yamanaka Ino was alive. And she had a last loose end to tie up in the story of her life.

**…**

'BOOM' 'THOOM'

"Whoa! What was that?"

Just as Kaijuu was about to deliver the final blow, a loud explosion from the front startled all three parties involved, enough so to allow both the opportunity for escape. As they struggled to regain their senses, their attention turned to the sight of the blast. An unmistakable burst of energy surged over their small group.

Kakashi took in a deep breath. "That feeling…this level of power is beyond intense…" He looked over at Gaara, noting the expression of silent reckoning upon his face. "We'd better run for cover, Red." His response was to turn towards his partner, with a new stare of confusion. He still didn't quite get it.

The older man shook his head before ducking down and tackling Gaara to the right, dragging him behind a large boulder. He coughed and flailed about, demanding an explanation for the ANBU's sudden change of heart towards the battle. Kakashi could only give him a sheepish smirk, hidden behind his mask.

"Because, she's awake now. And we don't have any more say in how this battle's gonna end. It's all on her shoulders."

Kaijuu's red eyes widened in disbelief, taking in the image that stood before him. The ground had given way to the earlier force, leaving a crater in its wake. And at the center of that crater, shimmering like liquid neon ice…

"Ino…Yamanaka Ino? This cannot be you." Kaijuu scoffed, but his gaze darted to and fro in antsy anticipation. His confidence had been shaken. The glowing female took notice of this, as she stepped out over the edge of the dirt and slowly, made her way around the demon. Her electric blue eyes were trained on the creature before her, even as she stopped beside Sakura's limp form and knelt down. Giving her lost lover a last longing glance and a petal soft kiss to the lips, Ino returned her gaze to Kaijuu and began fumbling with the pinkette's gun holster.

_That self-assurance…and that energy. All of it, radiating from her like this…she's already got him on the ropes._ Kakashi was peering over the edge of the rocks, watching the showdown take place between a newly revived Ino and a flustered Kaijuu. Beside him Gaara looked on, still as baffled as to what precisely was taking place here. Kakashi rapped his knuckles against his head lightly, earning him a growl and a glare.

"Just watch, okay? You'll understand better that way." Crossing his arms over his chest, Gaara nevertheless followed his instructions. The confrontation between the two was playing out like a beautiful old-fashioned showdown.

"Weak little girl-you don't have the guts to face me!" Ino, without breaking her concentration on the monster's eyes, carefully pulled out the familiar silver pistol from around Sakura's waist. Kaijuu hissed, aggravated by the blatant dismissal on the female's part. He quickly lunged at Ino with his claws and fangs drawn. This was it-he was ready to tear her apart! There was no time for her to jump to the side!

"Ino!" Gaara hadn't expected himself to yell out, but he had. Now he was on his feet, throat raw from that single scream of the two syllable name. Kakashi managed to yank him back down behind the rock though, and promptly swatted him upside the head as well. The male was aghast.

"Shut up and have some faith, will you? I said just watch!" Kakashi forced him to look forwards, at the spot where Ino surely should have been skewered and sliced by that damn creep.

But instead…

'CLICK' "Checkmate, Kaijuu." Ino's tone was cool and smooth, as she unhooked the safety on the gun and pressed the barrel closer, into the underside of his jaw. The being let out a chuckle, and only to a trained ear would anyone have noticed the hint of fearful wavering that slipped around his words. Her eyes narrowed, and the gun pressed ever harder.

"Y-you…you don't even know…how to use that thing." Kaijuu spat at her then, teeth gleaming like jagged pearls. "No matter what you say, there's still pain, deep inside of you…and you don't know how to handle it. You still loathe and sulk…and thus, I survive." His eyes were beginning to glow, as Ino gulped softly, and a flicker of uncertainty flashed across her face. This time, Kaijuu pushed back on the weapon.

"Your father never loved you…and your mother was sacrificed just to keep you happy. A pity, isn't it; that she has to die with you? What a horrible way to go: killed by your own child." Kaijuu was smirking, and Ino could feel her nerves beginning to rear their ugly heads once more. "You hate…and they hate you, too."

_"Go back and live properly, kid. Feel the love now. For your mom. For that oddball you picked up. Hell, even me, if you're so obliged."_ Ino's eyes widened in recognition. Her heart thudded against her ribs, and her grip around Icy tightened. _"But don't go wasting your days replayin' the past. It ain't got any bearing here anymore. Be you, and **live** for the life you have** in this world**. Live in the present, and start making every moment count. 'Cause they all do, you know? Even the most minor little details." _This time, the gun jabbed into Kaijuu's chin-and it didn't pull back.

"My father loved me. My mother loves me." Her gaze hardened in bittersweet remembrance. "Sakura loved me. And I love all of them, too." She was starting to shake, as the energy was steadily building up inside of her. "And you know what? Yeah, I was sad that my dad died. But it was his life, and he chose to live it as he saw fit. It was the wrong way, but he did it. It was his decision."

Now the tears were running freely down Ino's flushed and smudged cheeks, and she swallowed hard before locking eyes with Kaijuu again. She wanted to be certain that this was the last time she'd ever be seeing his frightening gaze.

"And _I_ am gonna live, the way I should have all along. I am not my past. I am not my father. I am not my mother." Her voice was rising, and the surge of power coursing through her body was enough to send a shockwave of terror through the cornered demon's garish frame. "I am me. I am Yamanaka Ino, and I…will not be afraid. I will not hide. I will not turn my back. I am worth something because I choose to be, not because of who I know, who I'm related to-not even what I've been through." A twisted but satisfied grin crept onto her face, and Kaijuu was all but shrinking behind the front of the pistol. His energy, so fearsome at first, was virtually nonexistent by this point. Ino and her confidence had sapped it all away.

"I am _me_. And you are nothing but a faded memory. Goodbye, Kaijuu." With that, her energy burst forth, mixing and blasting out through the bullet in the barrel as she pulled the trigger. The metal slug coursed through his body at an alarming rate, its trail succeeding to incinerate every inch of him with a charge of frenzied flames and glowing sparks. Ino's very essence was seeping into his veins, and she was quite literally, killing him with kindness. As he withered and shriveled, layer upon layer of demonic energy disintegrated with every crackle and pop.

It was over. After all that struggle, that toil, that heartache and headache, it had finally ended. Kaijuu was gone. He was dead. Ino had defeated him. She had discovered her own strength, and broken free.

And it was all thanks to her father, Inoichi…and Sakura. Both of whom were now no longer of this Earth.

Ino felt the ragged sob scrape up into her throat, as she fell to her knees in surrender. She could barely breathe. Her body was in agony. Every last scratch and kink was searing ten, twenty times worse than normal. She had just unleashed the motherlode of spiritual karma on the fiend from her past…the one who had held her mother's life by a thread. It was an unfamiliar experience for her body.

But without Sakura, Ino wasn't so sure if she wanted to experience any more of what life had to offer, either.

**A/N: Whew...So...much...EDITING...between this update and chapter nineteen...GAAH! 'falls back'**

**'ahem' The battle is won, Kaijuu is dead. This story arc is almost at its end. The baddie is finished-but there are still a few big reveals left before the book closes for good. Such as, how are they gonna get out of here? And what about Sakura? Next chapter, you'll get the first batch of answers, _finally_. Took me long enough. ;p **

**As always, feedback is welcomed and appreciated. There are like a million and one little details that I'm obsessing over in this update alone; some reviews would be helpful to ease my mind. If you have a moment or two. ^^**

**But yes, this tale is nearly complete. With this chapter, there leaves just four more entries left to this InoxSaku fable. I always had a feeling that it wouldn't turn out as lengthy as I first thought; a little over twenty-plus chapters is just about right. Hope you're all still enjoying the ride. Thanks again to everyone who's given this story their support. It's been two long years, but at long last, here we are. **

**Happy holidays and well-wishes to everyone.**

**=^.^=**


	19. Return to Paradise?

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Nineteen: Return to Paradise?

'CRMBLE' 'CRA-BOOM' 'THOOM'

"Come on! This place is falling apart! We gotta hightail it outta here!"

Down in the pit, the scenery was quaking. As Kaijuu's shadowy corpse faded away, so too did the rocky setting. The stones were cracking and tumbling down, piece by piece, while the ground shuddered and trembled, splitting open at intervals. The fragments were giving way to the darkness of the Earth-and if the group didn't get a move on fast, this hole would quickly become their grave.

Kakashi was ready to knock Ino out, and throw her over his shoulder. She was putting up a valiant fight to run back behind them, and grab Sakura's body by the hand. She would drag the girl's body out with her, even if she barely had the energy to carry herself. Unable to reach her beloved however, she collapsed, and was now stubbornly refusing to stand. Kakashi was doing all he could to reason with her.

"Look, Ino-you really don't have to do this. Nobody has to die here! If you would just keep going for a few more steps..." No one in the group was fit to carry anything, much less a human body. But Kakashi wasn't planning on dragging back anything. And if Ino would stop being so obstinate and start moving, he could tell her why. She'd only figured out the first half: how to defeat the spectral baddie. But so far, he hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise about the rest.

"Sakura's dead. If it wasn't for her, I would have never gotten this far. I can't leave her behind-you'll have to leave me too, then!" Beside her, Kakashi was slapping his palm to his headband in rapid succession, while Gaara was still screaming fruitlessly for them to 'get their asses in gear'. Ino could only stagger to her feet, and look at the ANBU with an expression of frustrated questioning. Did he understand? Was he finally going to give in?

_I swear-these kids and their Romeo-to-Juliet complexes! It's __**not**__ the end, damn it! _The ANBU finally decided that he'd had enough. With a growl he grabbed Ino's chin, and forced her to look over at Sakura's still form. "There! _Now_ do you see?"

The blonde let out a warbling shriek, but could not turn away as her eyes settled on the bloody fabric of her top once again...and then widened in realization. Something was definitely different here-the blood was still there, but as far as she could tell, the wound...it no longer existed on the pinkette's body. Ino's heart was skipping like a faulty record. _B-but then, that means..._in frantic hope, her blue eyes leapt up to focus instead on her face-or the side of it, at least.

It was as if time had frozen. At first, nothing. And then...that faint little crease to the center of her wide brow, that slowly spread as the rest of her face scrunched up, and consciousness flooded back into her features. All at once she let out a gasp, and arched up like a fish out of water. She fell back against the ground, now panting and trembling. Her green eyes were scanning every visible corner from her point of vantage, as the memories came back in full force. She glanced up, to meet the gazes of a satisfied Kakashi and a dumbstruck Ino.

Even with the madness taking place around them, there was a definite quiet among the group as recognition registered in Sakura's clouded green eyes. Her hands reached out, to clutch at Ino's shoulders-only to realize that she was farther away than expected.

But her joy wasn't dampened. She scrambled on all fours across the dirt, fueled on by shock and elation. The blonde was alive! She was alive! That was all she could think of-and apparently, the sentiments were the same on Ino's end as well. Without a single word, she had wrapped the pinkette up in a fierce hug, and the girl did not protest. Old injuries be damned, she was with Ino again! Her Ino! Ino-Pig!

Then, the confusing truth started to seep in. The pinkette took in a shaky breath.

"I was...I was dead. I know this. Kaijuu killed me, I remember!" Her voice wavered at first, but slowly gained strength, to rise up enough to be heard among the clatter and din from the current destruction of their surroundings. "But I...I..." Sakura was in deep thought now. "I wasn't...no, I'm pretty certain that wherever I was, it wasn't...it wasn't the other side."

Ino was euphoric. She couldn't speak, could barely even remember to breathe, as she held onto Sakura with a death grip. Yet another wish had been granted-only this time, Ino had made it with every bit of her heart and soul in it. She had gotten her cherry blossom back. And she wasn't going to stand around and risk losing her again. _Come what may, a-at least she'll know...what my feelings are._

Sakura took note of the new expression upon the blonde's face. Instantly, her heart went into overdrive-which may not have been such a good thing, considering that she had just, inexplicably and out of the blue, been resurrected from certain death. But that didn't matter at all, not to her. All she was focused on was the way Ino's eyes shone so tenderly, tears glistening on the lashes. Her pink lips were curved up in a soft smile.

The Demon Hunter didn't have a chance to speak, before she found herself in liplock with the blonde. If her heart had been pounding before, it was nothing compared to how fast it was racing now. She couldn't keep up with the beats, as her senses went into overdrive. Now she was truly alive; this was what she'd been wanting, needing for so long-it just took one particularly hectic day for her to realize this. But here it was, finally: perfection. And it was right in her arms.

"So, then...wow. I didn't know you'd miss me that much. Maybe I should go on vacation more often?" Sakura chuckled, and Ino had to scoff then, as new tears of joy leaked from the corners of her baby blues, trailing down her cheeks. It was such a...a Sakura thing to say, and she was more than happy to hear it.

In response, Ino tugged lightly at the ends of the pinkette's hair. She made a mock expression of pain."You idiot...don't ever do that again." Sakura grinned. "So, we're together, then?" She let out a whoop of pure delight as Ino nodded. "Yes you nut, we are."

'CRASH' 'KA-BOOM' "Aww...this is lunacy! I _demand_ that we leave here _immediately_!" Gaara was cursing himself into a blue rage, as Kakashi could only gape at the two females who were currently tangled up among each other. _Of all the times they __**could**__ have picked for to have their undying declarations of love, it has to be __**this**__ moment when we need to get the hell out, __**now**__! There's a time limit going on here, too...!_ As happy as he was that the two had finally decided to stop being so thick-headed and follow their hearts, he wasn't looking forward to being trapped inside his mind against his will. He'd explain it all later-when they were actually conscious enough to enjoy a discussion.

As the two girls finally sat up, Kakashi cleared his throat. "I really don't mean to rush you guys or anything, but well..." Here, he paused to take a breath. The girls exchanged curious glances.

"_This whole fucking place is coming down, and if we don't leave now we're gonna die, on more than one plane of consciousness! So get moving!_" And that was it-the spell was broken. Although still very much enthralled with one another, the pair were snapped to attention as a particularly large fragment of rock came barreling down to the ground below, not three feet shy of where the girls had been standing.

Sakura seemed to grasp what he was getting at. "Alrighty, then! Time for us doggies-" at this, Sakura stood up, pulling a slightly flustered Ino with her, "-to git moving! Round 'em up, rawhide!" With a grin, she ran to the center of the clearing, stopping just short of Gaara. His heavily bagged eyes were bulging as the pinkette shot him a cocky grin. "Hey there, Panda-_wahn_-da! Miss me much?" After ruffling his hair-and nearly losing her hand in the process, she returned her focus to her weapons arsenal. In particular, she was eyeing Dorchet, who she now had nose down in the crumbling dirt.

Ino watched with bated breath. Sakura had pulled a small ball from a pocket on her vest which, after some twisting and pressing, had become a strange device, resembling a missile and an engine. It came complete with rocket boosters, a thick base and pull cord. The pinkette promptly shoved it inside the open barrel of the bazooka. Ino wondered exactly when she stepped into the realm of the old-school cartoon gag. _I swear, she thinks of everything! Everything unbelievable, that is!_ "Sakura, what are you-"

But she was cut off. "Don't ask questions, Pig! Trust me-there are way more important matters at hand than what I'm about to do." Indeed, Kakashi and Gaara seemed not to care at all about Sakura's bizarre and sudden desire for weapons modification. Ino decided to put her faith in the girl once more. After all this, the idea was no longer so frightening. Ino knew Sakura wouldn't let her down.

As she allowed the thought to settle among her usually panicked conscious mind, she felt a sudden shift in the energy around her. It was, quite literally, as if the flow of things had changed completely-all thanks to her thinking. Was she simply just too caught up in the moment to identify her sensations?

The ANBU soldier took the bazooka from Sakura's hands, and turned it around so the fan was in the back. "Are you planning what I think you are?" Inside, Kakashi was cheering. At least one member of the group understood where he was coming from.

"You'd better believe it, bud. My own personally customized rocket chimp! Or is it a rocket ship?" She shrugged. "Whatever. The point is, this is our ticket outta here. And we're gonna ride it." She smirked, before pulling out a small foldable holder, consisting of three legs and a curved center. She propped Dorchet's middle upon the base, and waved over the others. "Hurry up! We've only got one shot at this!" Pushing a button hidden in the side of the barrel, the weapon suddenly bounced up, extending by at least another two feet in length. Ino's rational mind was doing summersaults, but she paid them no mind. This was no time for 'what if'; sometimes, you just had to jump in head first.

Gaara huffed at her tone. "So it's okay to ignore me, but when you give the commands it's urgent?" Shaking his head, he nevertheless climbed onto the makeshift rocket behind her, leaving a decent-sized space between them. Kakashi followed suit, taking a seat behind the tyrant. Sakura looked back at Ino, who was still baffled as to how this would work. But she refused to let the worry take over, simply scrutinizing the fan. "You're sure this is safe? Whatever this is?"

Sakura grinned. "About as safe as you'd be staying down here with the earthworms!" She laughed. "At least this way offers you a shot at survival!" Her green eyes softened as she held out her hand. "We're not gonna die down here. That ain't our destiny. Right, Pig?"

Ino nodded, a smile breaking upon her face just as the scenery gave a loud, agonizing groan. Kakashi turned to look back at where Kaijuu's body had once lain. His visible eye widened. There, nothing but shadows and dirt remained-and it was steadily creeping closer, ready to swallow their team in one swift wave of darkness. They had to skedaddle, and fast. "Oi, ladies! I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but-"

"Okay, okay! I get it, I'm going!" Ino took Sakura's hand, and climbed onto the bazooka behind her pink-haired lover. Giving her what she hoped was an encouraging expression, Ino wrapped her arms around the other girl's waist tightly, and left the rest in her hands. She could feel Sakura's heart beating like a hammer, as she reached down for the dangling cord.

"I'm all for 'Mother Earth' and all that good stuff, but Mama..." and at this, the pinkette's lips curved into a gleeful grin, "every bird's gotta leave the nest someday. Sayonara!" With a sharp tug, she pulled the rip cord.

'PUTTER...SPLUTTER' 'SPLUTTER...KROOM' It took a few seconds, but at long last the fan came to life, and fire roared from the pipe to the ground. It soared upwards, at first a bit shaky. And who could blame it? This was a last resort sort of method; she'd never gotten a chance to try it out before in a real situation! She'd only heard stories. Dorchet wasn't used to the extra weight, for one thing!

But as the engine grew stronger, rising on the current as it streaked upwards towards the hole where they'd first fallen in from, the shakes smoothed out and the speed increased. Ino was clinging to Sakura with all her strength, and she could feel the air growing tighter the higher they zoomed. But she refused to let her faith in the girl waver.

"Yahoo! Get offa my cloud! 'Cause it flies like a Nimbuuus-!" Her passengers were clutching at the metal bazooka between their legs, as Sakura ducked and weaved her way artfully through the falling debris and hungry shadows. Ino had no idea how. There were no controls, as far as she could see. The pinkette was just hunched over the front of the device, cackling like a madwoman. Ino was leaning as well, and she swore her liver nearly jumped up to take the place of her tongue when the weapon made a sharp dive, before zipping back up at twice the speed. "S-Sakura?" The blonde asked in a questioning yell; it was the only word she could manage, among the clamor of destruction and escape.

The pinkette laughed. "Ah, just showing off!" It was official: her wounds were one hundred percent gone-or at least, the ones from Kaijuu were. Ino caught a brief glimpse of the bandages still wrapped around her companion's side; they were stained with dirt and fresh blood.

She closed her eyes then, basking in the triumph of the moment. They were free...just a few more yards, and it would all be over. No more worrying about that. She had other things to be concerned about now. Like Sakura's 'miracle recovery'-how was that even possible? _I have to remember...to ask about that-and then, we have to go and change those bandages. It's not healthy or hygienic..._Ino's thoughts were slowly settling back onto track, as she resumed her place as the mother figure.

_Or maybe now, since we're together...I'm more like the nagging wife?_ Ino had to giggle softly; the idea reminded her of something out of a sitcom. It was almost as if she were staring in her very own series, a la 'I Dream of Jeanie'!

"Just a little...bit...further!" Among all the swerving and turning, Sakura had managed to bring them to their destination: the opening from the bathroom to the underground. And it was closing up fast.

The pinkette twisted a knob on the side of the makeshift hovercraft, and her gaze narrowed as she set her sights on the intended target. It was going to require a lot of speed and the most precise of timing-these elements could be so damn tricky. That opening would start disappearing twice as fast as soon as they tried to close the distance between.

_But I never back down from a challenge. After all, I'm not the only one with a future on the ropes here. _She cast a quick glance back at the ragtag team: Kakashi, the slacker with skills, and Gaara, the hothead with a power to match, _if you really took the time to think about it. Heh._ And Ino...

_We're going back, Pig. Together. _With a final determined grunt, she kicked off, hurtling toward that opening with all the force of a bullet. Ino was practically tearing through Sakura's top with her nails-her grip was beyond iron as the air roared past them. The debris seemed so miniscule and unimportant-there was nothing in their way now, so long as fate stayed on their side. Would it? Ino felt the pain from lack of oxygen, as well as the bulk of a vest, digging into her shoulders. Even Kakashi was petrified.

Behind him, Gaara was the same story; his green eyes were bugging out as he retained a firm grip on the Copy-Nin's waist. He gave off a short grunt as they dove forward ever closer, drawing on the hole with breakneck speed. Ino couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. _We have to make it-we just have to! _Her heart jolted once more.

'WHOOSH'

**…...**

'CREAAAK...' 'TNK'

'WHOOO...' "...uhh..."

Ino felt her eyes open. Her hand twitched, as the weight of her body slowly returned to her, including the dull twinge from the wound in her side. The ground beneath her was solid, but nothing near close to the hardness of the previous rocky terrain. As her fingers slowly clenched, she felt the tips drag through what she soon identified as thick grass and dirt. The realization was enough to make her jump-and wince for it.

She scrambled to her feet, wobbling. She managed to steady herself by holding out her arms for balance. Carefully, she looked around, eyes adjusting to both the steady shadows and the hints of full moonlight from behind the clouds and through the trees. Her breathing was shaky, as she took in the scene before her.

They had all been sprawled out in the decrepit park. It took a few minutes to find each of them. The grass was so high and thick that it wasn't easy to see the impressions of their bodies. Sakura was a few feet away from her, on her back. One arm was stretched out, resting over her prominent forehead. There was no sign of the wound in her abdomen, once again. It was a reassuring sign for Ino, though still confusing.

Kakashi was a bit further on, by the playground equipment. He lay on his side, and Ino was thankful to see his leg twitch, as he let out a low groan. Gaara was closer to the bathrooms, face down. With that giant gourd upon him, he vaguely resembled a squashed bug. He must have been pretty darn strong to carry that on a daily basis, filled with all that sand...

As Ino continued to take in the familiar scenery once more, reality suddenly hit her with a sucker punch. There was no sign of anything having ever occurred underground: no sign of freshly tossed dirt, or any traces of an ominous presence. Indeed, it seemed as if all was well here-aside from the fact that it had once been the site of a death. _But how...how can that be? We were-we were underground! I-I know we were! There should be some kind of evidence left behind..._Her eyes locked on the old worn bathrooms, and, after a few moments of indecision, she swallowed and began the short walk over to the doors. Hesitating at first, Ino eventually made her way through the doorway, and into the main stall area. All alone.

Her heart was steadily beating faster, as she continued walking forwards, observing everything before her...and it wasn't helping to calm her nerves.

There wasn't a single thing out of place. No ghostly green light, no gigantic crack in the middle of the floor, no nothing! Aside from the garbage, the whole place was clean of any signs of a battle. Ino was beyond confused. What had just happened? _We fought-I know we did! So what's going on? _As she staggered out from the restroom, she saw that her companions had, at long last, awoken. Inhaling sharply, the blonde forced back a growl as she marched through the tall grass. In no time, she was standing directly before Kakashi.

Her face was a mixed mask of disbelief and anger. He didn't have a chance to greet her as she pointed a finger accusingly towards the former crime scene. "You have all the answers, right? Then you tell me-what the hell just happened here?"

Kakashi did not duck at her tone, nor did he flinch. He merely gave her a short nod, before looking across at the other two in the group. "Oi. Since Princess here is feeling so nosey, I'm gonna give you the breakdown now, 'stead of letting you take a few more minutes to shake off the fatigue." There was a twinkle in his visible eye. "Aren't I such a good teacher?"

"Good? More like-" Kakashi waved his hands, settling the group before any more insults could be flung. Ino watched the moonlight as it crept over the park setting. She shivered then; a cold breeze was making its way across the tattered landscape. And for the very first time, after all of the mayhem and rushing, she noticed it. Turning her arm around under the milky light, she examined herself in newly discovered awe.

Every single mark and wound obtained in her fight against Kaijuu was gone. Not a single trace of his presence remained, either among them or upon them. Aside from the stab wound in her side, which at the moment seemed content to throb dully, she was in relatively good condition-far from what would be expected of someone who just went through a violent battle. Ino's current expression now resembled that of a fish on land who had just been electrocuted.

_I-if I'm healed, then...then what about Akane? _Ino felt her heart tense with dread, and it hurt. She bit her lower lip. _Were we...?_

To the left of Ino came a soft exclamation of surprise, interrupting her panic attack. "Whoa..." Yes, even Gaara was completely healed; ignoring from the dried slashes of blood and ragged appearance, in general, he was in perfect health once more. He was just a bit stressed.

_And Sakura..._Her recovery was definitely the most miraculous-and the one with no answer. She had been dead. Ino had held her lifeless corpse in her arms. She had been bawling her eyes out over her fallen lover, and had been ready and willing to give up everything, past lessons be damned. Yet somehow, she had come back from beyond. Not only that, but there was no trace of them ever having been involved in any of the previous mayhem underground. They were outside the building, for one-had they even gone inside? She had the memory, but...nothing to back it up. And there was no explanation to offer. She didn't even know where to begin!

Sakura cast a glance over in Ino's direction, and noted that her companion seemed to be quite puzzled indeed. Taking her hand in hers, she gave the blonde a cheery smile. "What's up, Pig? It's a happy ending, right? Just like we wanted."

"I know, but I still don't understand...I feel like I'm trying to solve one of those super-tiny jigsaw puzzles, and..." At this, Ino trailed off-she could hear laughter. Kakashi was leaning back on his palms, and his visible eye was closed as he enjoyed a good chuckle. Gaara simply stared at him as if he'd gone mad-er, madder. Obviously, his wounds were healed as well?

"Whew...now, if you'd please." Looking up at the three members of his quizzical audience, the ANBU held up two fingers. Sakura tilted her head. "Is...this some kinda vision test? A countdown?"

"This one," Kakashi began, tugging at his right index finger, "represents Ino, while this one," and he wiggled his middle finger in identification, "is Kaijuu. Now, what surrounds them-" Here, he made a motion to cover both fingers with his left hand, "is the energy and space that both exists for Ino-as well as for Kaijuu. He shared it with her. And, as we all recall, Kaijuu was connected to Ino, and made his tricks real through her power and lifeforce. We know this." He pressed his two fingers together for emphasis. The group nodded.

"So...how does that explain Sakura's technicolor revival? And the lack of collateral damage, dirt stains? Our restored health, in general?" Kakashi waved Ino's question away with his left hand. "Stop being so pushy-just shut up and let me finish." Ino frowned, but said nothing as he continued on with his lecture. "Now, Kaijuu survived by preying on Ino's energy. And the worse he made her feel, the stronger he became. Soon, he was able to start reaching out, to try and hurt others." The blonde flinched, and Sakura leaned over, placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"Kaijuu feeds on souls. You were his host. And by manipulating you, he was able to get to another person through you-your mom. And damn it Ino, but you're weren't a very strong girl emotionally. But your powers were through the roof. He used your energy against you. What should've taken most demons a lifetime only took him a few years. Hence the theatrics." He pointed to his temple. "Kaijuu was able to create an astonishingly real visual, auditory and physical hallucination here-here in the soil of your father's deathbed. As soon as we crossed the threshold, he had us. That's the only way we could fully interact with him, anyway, since he wasn't possessing anyone. He used all that power he'd gained from Ino to manipulate _this _space-" and he pointed at the ground- "So he could keep us in a sort of spiritual, mental coma."

'SHF' "But." Now Kakashi was holding the tip of his middle finger between the thumb and index of his left hand. "When Ino started fighting back...she basically re-stole the energy that he had sapped from her before. She turned his whole world against him when she regained control."

'POKE' Now, he was prodding at the pinkette's prominent brow. "When Ino defeated Kaijuu, she erased him out of existence. And everything connected to him directly no longer had the ability to exist. It's like a dream. When Ino killed him, she took back the dream, thus ending it." He shrugged, and the trio leaned in even closer.

"It was a mental mind-warp. But Sakura came back. The damage was undone. You can't be killed by something that doesn't exist, right? It's as simple as that." His visible eye narrowed slightly then. "The only thing that didn't leave is that nick in your belly-that's because Kaijuu didn't have direct contact with you to cause that wound. He manipulated Akane into it. So, you're still going to need some time to recover-actually, you should have already been at home, recuperating. Hmm...this might have set you back a couple of days in the healing department, there." His expression was now awkwardly apologetic. "Sorry."

Sakura was nodding. "I kinda figured that much-'bout the whole 'other realm' bit, which was why I pulled that move with the bazooka." She gave Ino a slightly sheepish smile. "You probably sensed that earlier lil' shift back down there?" She jabbed a thumb towards the dirt. "I had to borrow some of your control t'pull it off, but it had to be willing, so...thanks for lettin' me lead the way. For being open minded!" Now, she flashed Ino the thumbs-up.

Ino didn't know whether she wanted to shriek or cheer. Of course it would be something as far-fetched and utterly ridiculous as that. But for once, she had no desire to argue over details. This answer, as baffling as it may have been, was enough to satisfy her. She had more important things to focus on now. They'd all been given a second chance.

As she stood there, the weight of worry and dread long gone from her body, Ino had a flashback to her very first encounter with Sakura. She remembered flying through the air, watching her life flash before her eyes. _I guess...things really have come full circle..._And just like in her memories, that same slender arm wrapped around her waist, causing Ino to look up. The only difference was that they weren't soaring halfway across the sky. She smiled as she locked eyes with her returned companion. The pinkette had come up behind her now, and was now looking over her shoulder with that same childlike curiosity that Ino had seen when they'd first met.

She was alive. Sakura was alive. At this point, it didn't matter what happened. All the things that mattered had come true. Ino was safe. She was secure. She was whole. Her heart no longer ached incessantly. Finally, her life was in motion once more, free from the standstill of the bitter past. With a joyous shout, Ino found herself throwing her arms around her partner's neck in a loving embrace.

Sakura was taken aback, but only momentarily. Fantasy or not, she remembered what Ino had said to her when they'd been about to escape from Kaijuu's hidey-hole. She remembered that kiss, and a devious grin began to spread across her cheeks. Why not turn fantasy into reality? Sakura tilted Ino's head up slowly, index finger resting lightly under her chin. She could feel her heart beat increase as the blonde gave her an adorably shy smile. "S-Sakura? What...are you thinking right now?" Ino's heart was starting to skip again, but this time...it had nothing to do with fear.

"Mm, I dunno...makin' one last dream come true?" She chuckled at the sparkle in Ino's eyes, and took the chance. Swooping down, she kissed the blonde with all the passion that had been waiting inside her all this time. It felt like an eternity. Ino's lips were soft against her own as the blonde kissed back just as intensely. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around Sakura's neck.

This was it-it was all over. She had finally done battle with the specter of her past, and made peace with her father. There was nothing left to fix now. Even her relationship with the vivacious Demon Hunter had reached its peak. She and Sakura were officially together now, and nothing would ever tear them apart. The blonde smiled to herself then, as they pulled apart. She took one of Sakura's hands in her own, and ran a thumb over the knuckle before letting go. It was time to head out.

_Man...after all this, I could really use a shower. _Ino stretched, feeling her joints pop in the sockets as Sakura stood up beside her. Offering a hand down to the blonde, she helped keep her balanced, as they began the careful trek over the remains of the trashed park. This place was really not the greatest spot to be, at any hour.

Her blue eyes settled upon the few stars that she could see, scattered across the navy canopy of the night's sky. She could just make out a few faint city lights, over the tops of the pine trees. There was the faint sound of crickets. She let out a sigh of contentment, just as Kakashi and Gaara started to head for the thick brush. It was time to head home. Sakura was watching her now, green eyes seeming to smolder softly in the mixed lighting. "Come on, Pig. I'll carry you again-"

'VWOOM' But before any of them could respond, a sudden piercing beam of intense light cut through the sky above, focusing squarely upon them and the dirt patches beneath their feet. In an instant, everyone was on their toes.

"Fucking A! Aren't we ever gonna get a break?" Sakura already had her bazooka drawn-with its usual appearance-and was now holding said weapon with the tip pointed up. It was loaded with a fresh round. She grinned, as Kakashi held a pair of kunai in his hands, and Ino cocked Icy's barrel in the direction of the light. Gaara was protected by his veil of sand.

'CLK' 'WHOOM...' "Huh? What the-?" But none of them were expecting to find themselves hovering in the air, rising steadily upwards. Ino couldn't hear any bugs now-all she could hear was the hum of gigantic engines, as the light invaded every inch of her vision. Whatever this thing was, they were being sucked right up into it!

_I__t never ends, does it? Looks like I can forget about that shower...!_ The light vanished with a loud pop-and the group disappeared through a small opening directly beneath the source. There was no sign that anything else had even been remotely in the area, as the only sound was the lone whistling of the evening wind, and the feeble cries of the insects in the thicket.

The strange craft whipped through the trees, underneath the blue velvet of the sky. A small comet-like aerial streaked across, leaving behind a faint trail of stardust before zipping into nothing. In other words, Ino and the others had been abducted. Just like the actors on those UFO specials. After everything else they'd been through this shouldn't have surprised her any. The real question was:

Just _who_ was flying this ship? And what were their intentions?

**…...**

'BEEP' 'BEEP'

"Mm..." Ino flinched, as she came to at last. It was cold-there was something smooth and hard beneath her, and it chilled her like ice. It must have been a table. She could hear voices, but they were muffled and broken-as if the speakers were moving in and out of focus. She let out a small groan.

"Vital signs are normal. Aside from some minor bruising in each of the subjects, as well as the stab wound to the female and some tissue damage to Hunter no. 311213, they are all fully functional." As her hearing returned, Ino struggled to put the pieces together; to try and find out where they'd wound up this time. They'd made mention of a 'Hunter', whoever they were, so they must have known about Sakura's status, for the most part.

_But still...that doesn't explain whether or n-not...we can trust them. _Ino tried to open her eyes, but was only greeted by more blinding light. She shrunk back, and a soft murmur of voices rippled through the air. "Turn that thing off already..."

"For the last blooming time, I don't need to be hospitalized! Now get that thermometer away from me, or I'll give you an impromptu prostate exam that you'll never forget!" That voice. It was all Ino needed to hear. _Sakura!_ With a start, the blonde sat up, and began to eagerly scan her surroundings in order to locate the plucky pinkette. She wasn't too hard to find.

The four member group were laid out on what seemed to be operating tables with wheels. Each one had its own adjustable lamp, that shone down over the head and upper body. It was attached to the handles which were held when pushing or moving the tables. Surrounding them were what appeared to be...an audience of ANBU in surgical masks? Ino was officially lost.

"Ha ha ha! So, I was right! You're more resilient than I first pegged ya for! Way to keep it together, Haruno!" Ino nearly fell off the metallic stretcher. _That voice..._who on Earth could own a voice that loud and invasive? Even Sakura wasn't _that_ loud! _Nobody, that's who! S-so then..._With a trembling gulp, Ino cast her gaze over to he left-to the corner in the shadows with the double doors. And they were both swung wide open. Ino gaped at the new arrival who stood there, in unbridled shock.

She was tall, and _very_ busty. Her hands were planted securely on her hips, as her loose tea green robes flowed about her curvy figure. She took a few steps forwards, sandal heels clacking over the hard ground. A large bottle swung from her left hand, while the right was brushing a strand of fine golden hair from her amber eyes. They were crinkled at the corners as she surveyed the quad in amusement.

By this point, Sakura and Kakashi had leapt into action. Both were in positions of kneeling at the feet of this imposing female, and Ino was taken aback by how much reverence her loud-mouthed companion was showing towards the woman. In fact, come to think of it...everyone in the room, aside from Ino herself and Gaara, were in some pose of respect or acknowledgement. Ino didn't have a clue what to do. _So, were we abducted? Or, is this normal?_

"Hokage-sama!" Sakura was looking up with wide eyes at the older blonde. "Tsunade-Sensei! It is beyond an honor to bask in your presence once again! To what d-do we owe this pleasure?" The pinkette was practically shouting out her joy, but the woman above her didn't seem to care. If her ears were ringing, she said nothing as she reached down...to lightly bop the pinkette on the head with the jug in her hand. Upon closer inspection, Ino determined that it contained some kind of liquor.

She wasn't exactly impressed here. _Hokage-sama? Yet she carries around a mini barrel of booze...technology aside, this is the person who Sakura answers to? She doesn't seem like that big a deal. _And just as Ino was about to bring this thought to life, the woman intervened. Her next words would turn everything upside down all over again.

"Cherry Bomb...it's time to head home. You ain't in exile anymore. Your sentence is up, so says me." In emphasis, Tsunade flashed the pinkette the thumbs up. "I've been keeping tabs on your work here, and well...I can't say that I'm not impressed with my former nursing student. So, I've decided that, in honor of your latest battle, I'm turning over the rest of your sentence. Congratulations, kid!"

**A/N: ...can you tell that I've been watching _way_ too much Nicktoons? ^^; Hooray for imagination? And for the ability to somehow bring crazy ideas to life. O_o**

**My gift to all my loyal readers. I do hope that everything makes sense; it's not quite a full 'dream', more of a...'it happened in another dimension that no longer exists'. Took a while to iron out all the messy bits-this was a _whole_ lot different when I first conceived it in OpenOffice. XD**

**'ahem' But there you have it. Yep, there's one more plot twist before this story reaches its official end. Sakura's being reinstated! Joy! What about her life on Earth with Ino, though? Heck, what about the rest of them? I bet Gaara and Kakashi are pretty stunned by all this, too!**

**All feedback is welcomed and appreciated. As an aspiring writer, it thrills me to no end seeing new review notices in my inbox-even if it's just a few words.**

**Next time: the trip to Konohagakure, new worries, and some new-though familiar-faces. It's been a long time coming, folks. See you then! And Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Holidays! (Hope yours are going better than mine. XD)**

**=^.^=**


	20. Some ReAssembly Required

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Twenty: Some Re-Assembly Required

"W-w-what?"

The words were still ringing through Ino's head, clear as a bell. Even as Tsunade shook Sakura's hand, acknowledging Ino's presence for the first time with a knowing wink, she couldn't bring herself to feel anything towards the action. _S-Sakura? Going home?_

Tsunade went on, unaware of the teen's stupor. "Yep, you're invited too, blondie. Got a whole lotta questions we wanna bounce off of you, as well." Finally, the fear was registering, as Ino felt her insides twist at the implications. Looks like her secret life on the side wasn't much of a secret anymore.

The Hokage whistled, calling over one of the guards. After chatting briefly, he left the room and the woman returned her gaze to the group before her. "We'll be keeping in touch! In a day's time, we're coming back to pick you up! That's tomorrow night-should be long enough for you to pull yourselves together!" Another round of riotous solo laughter.

Nobody said anything. There was nothing they could say. All anyone could do was nod, as the ship slowed to a stop directly above Ino's house. It deposited them on the doorstep, disappearing just as swiftly as it had arrived. The butterflies were still flapping up a storm against her ribs as she unlocked the door to her house. The rest of the troop followed her in.

Looks like they weren't out of the woods just yet.

**…...**

"...I see. Well, thank you for letting me know. Yes, I should be by to visit her within the next couple of days. Yes...yes, thank you. Bye."

'CLICK'

It was morning at the Yamanaka residence. A somewhat still stunned Ino had just finished a phone call in her pajamas, and the news from the other end had been enough to knock her drowsy conscience for another loop-de-loop. _And so early, too...!_ She was just thankful that she'd been able to speak straight. Her body seemed too heavy as she stumbled across the cold floor with no slippers, yet again, replaying the events from the previous day again for her mind's eye to see.

When they'd finally arrived home after that life-altering battle with Kaijuu, AKA Ino's own personal Lucifer-who had been beautifully dispatched-it had been from the inside of a spacecraft. Yes, they had been abducted. And by none other than Sakura and Kakashi's superiors. Ino had come face-to-face with their leader, and while she may not have been charmed by her appearance and attitude, she was nonetheless interested in what she had to say. After all, it concerned both her and the pinkette.

Sakura was being retrieved from exile. Her sentence of punishment on Earth had been suspended, and she was no longer confined to the planet. She was free to return to the galaxy from whence she came. This thought was enough to make Ino's head explode, as the very notion of a life without the candy-haired warrior danced before her. She quickly shooed it away with the mental image of a bazooka. Quite effective indeed.

They were set to take a trip back to Sakura's home of Konohagakure-her version of it, anyway-to be officially pardoned and reinstated. Ino had been 'cordially invited' as well, but even if she hadn't she would have found a way to go. She and Sakura were partners. Heck, they were _lovers_. That meant they went everywhere. Especially at a gig like this. And once it was over, they'd go back to living the life that they'd grown so accustomed to. The life that was shared between the two of them; that canvas of friendship and heartache.

But that wasn't it. Oh, no. Ino hadn't forgotten about her mother, Akane. By the time they'd made it through the front door, it was far too late for her to call the hospital, to find out anything on her mother's condition. Since Kaijuu was dead, and he'd been the one holding her soul in captivity, thus inducing the comatose state...would her mother's soul return to her body? _Or..._

The doctors had said that even if she were to awaken, there was a lot of internal damage to her system, thanks to all those years of heavy drinking. Was it possible that perhaps...her mother's soul had passed on? She hadn't been able to fall asleep that night. She'd been terrified of waking up to dial the infirmary, and hearing those awful words: "We're sorry to have to tell you this, but..."

Thankfully, when she had called the hospital this morning-using another voice and name of course; the assumed guise of a concerned relative, since _she_ was still supposed to be recovering there as well-the news was generally good. Although still weak, her mother had awoken and was now being monitored by the staff. Most likely, they'd told Ino, she wouldn't be home for at least another few days, until she was stable again. Ino was now praying that there was no extra damage. Who knows what could've happened when she'd slipped under? All in all though, she was just grateful to still have a _living_ mother.

_And I'm going to keep it that way, too. _She had no idea how Akane was going to come out of this whole situation, but Ino knew for certain that she was changed. She wanted to make it work. No more running, or fighting; she was going to give it everything she had. But it would only happen...if her mother felt the same way. A new knot of worry had begun to twist its way around the blonde's lower intestines, as the familiar fear of rejection bubbled up like carbonation.

_No. I have to stay calm...and have hope. Even just the faintest little shred is better than nothing at all. _Taking a deep breath, she shook her long bangs from in front of her eyes, and padded into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. She was wired now, from nerves; may as well stay up and actually start the day. It was the last morning before they were set to 'blast off', or however you might describe their trip up, up and away.

'TNK' 'SHAAA...' As Ino waited for the water to fill the mug, she heard the distinct sound of a floorboard creak. She had no idea how it had carried over the rushing water directly in front of her, but nevertheless she turned around. There before her stood Kakashi, with his hair sticking out more than usual, and that unmistakeable look of someone who needed an artificial energy source.

Ino held out another mug. "Instant?"

As they waited for the water to finish heating via the microwave, Kakashi and Ino sat at the small kitchen table, facing each other. But neither was looking straight ahead; while Ino watched the appliance, the Copy-Nin was staring at the ceiling. "You should really get someone to come and take a look at that. I think your roof is caving in." He pointed at a series of small cracks that had begun to form near the left corner of the upper wall. Ino shook her head.

"How much d'you think we're honestly worth at the bank? We can't afford that." She peered up at the marks he had pointed out, and scoffed. "You nincompoop, those are cobwebs." Returning her attention to the mugs, her blue eyes lingered on the timer. _Two minutes..._

It was silent for a few moments. Kakashi had known that those weren't really cracks, and Ino knew that he knew this, as well. It had just been a ploy; a method of breaking the silence, but without saying what really needed to be spoken. In other words, everything that had them breaking into a cold sweat. Both parties were worried about Akane and Sakura. For Ino, it was because of relationships, while for Kakashi...

If Akane had died, it would have meant that he had failed in his mission: although an ANBU, not specifically a Hunter, he was still trained to protect and serve. That would've been a major black mark against him. Not only that, but he would have had to deal with the immeasurable pain of looking Ino in the eye, and seeing her fall apart. It had been bad enough when she'd thought Sakura was dead-well, technically she was-and the whole damn place had been caving in. _And she's already lost one parent...I don't wanna see any more orphans._ Which brought up the matter of Sakura herself.

Kakashi had been placed on Earth as extra backup, to make sure that the pinkette didn't try anything stupid-which of course she did, straightaway. No surprises there. At first, it had been just a regular routine; something for him to accept and complete without a second thought. But as he'd gotten used to his life incognito among the populace, he had to admit, he'd grown rather...fond, of the entire thing in general. So he wasn't ready to leave just yet. But what excuse could he possibly have to stick around?

"Kakashi?" Before he could come up with any ideas though, the soft tones of the girl seated across from him wafted into his ears. She was calling his name. He looked at Ino now, with an eyebrow raised in slight acknowledgement. "Yes...?"

"D-do you think...that she's really gonna take it?" He knew what she was asking. Even before the words had left her mouth. "Is Sakura g-going to leave?" The words seemed so hollow on Ino's tongue as she spoke them. They were so bitter and draining. This was not a thought to be encouraged, but it was one that needed to be addressed.

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. Then, as if having a second thought, he smoothed it down flat. How could he answer this one? Even he didn't know! They may have been a couple, but still...Hunting was Hunting. And Sakura wasn't about to give that up, either. _But if she stays there, she can't take Ino with her. And I know that she's considering that possibility, too. She has to be. What a load to carry._

At long last, he spoke. "I...I really don't know, Ino. Honestly." His gaze was tired as he now turned to face the microwave. "Sakura isn't so easy to predict. And there are a lot of things to consider here. We're not the only ones who are feeling the heat-she's the one who has to choose, after all." Ino nodded, but as true as his words were, they didn't help to lessen the pain in her heart. There was a chance that Sakura wasn't coming back. And if that were to happen, somehow...

_What would I do then? _Now Ino was the one without answers in the spotlight.

'BEEP' 'BEEP' 'BEEP' The mugs were finished heating. As Ino pulled hers out, handing the other to the ANBU, she unscrewed the lid of the instant coffee mix and grabbed a spoon from the sink in a quiet fog. The transport was coming back to pick them up tonight. There was no way to change course, and no way to fight progress, either. This was a future that Ino was going to be forced to watch, if nothing else. But as for the inevitable outcome...that was yet to be determined. So, all they could do was wait.

_Jeez, today's gonna feel like ten years. Just you watch. _Ino had dumped in a few spoonfuls of mix, and was now stirring the brew slowly. Beside her, Kakashi did the same. He watched the girl from the corner of his eye.

_Just hang on, Ino. We're all waiting with you, alright? _Giving the blonde a friendly pat on the shoulder, he finished fixing his drink, and strolled out of the kitchen with the hot mug in hand. Ino was still stirring hers when he left.

'TNK-A' 'TNK-A' 'TNK-A'

**…...**

'FWP' 'FWP'

'TAP' 'TAP' 'TAP'

"Rrgh...I'm tired of standing around! When are they gonna _be_ here?"

Night had fallen once again, and the gang were all huddled together in the living room of Ino's residence. The clock ticked by without hesitation, as the hour drew near; the time when they'd first arrived back here. One day, right? The Konohagakure officials were notorious for being punctual like that-at least, as long as Tsunade-sensei didn't wind up trashed out from a drinking binge. As was evident from the bottle in her hand the night before, she had an appetite for booze. Ino still couldn't fathom how such a person could make it as a supreme ruler, much less an educator.

Speaking of which, said girl was currently seated on a stool that had been dragged up to the window. Her eyes were gazing out at the navy sky, faintly speckled by a star or two. It really was too bright in these parts-just once, the blonde would have liked to see the untamed evening sky from her bedroom window, instead of having to travel far out beyond the city limits.

Sakura was lying on the couch, upside down with her head hanging over the edge, arms crossed upon her chest, and her legs sticking straight up against the cushions. Kakashi was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, and Gaara was leaning against the kitchen doorframe. From her unusual position of vantage, Sakura managed to shoot him a look of annoyance.

"You're so damn impatient. They'll be here-just give 'em a little more time, huh? We may be advanced, but we've still got our limitations." She raised an eyebrow, but from the way she was sitting it appeared to go down instead. "Why are you so eager to come, anyway? No one invited you."

He scoffed. "Like hell I'd pass up an opportunity for a free ride back. I'm not staying here alone. Forget it." The pinkette sighed. "Suit yourself..." It seemed that the redhead had completely forgotten about his previous 'wanted criminal status'. And once they were well on their way back to Konohagakure, Tsunade was sure to finally call him on it. The only reason she hadn't said anything before was because they'd only been on a brief info-drop the last time. Now, it was serious, since everyone knew where things were headed.

'VREEN' And speak of the devil. Here they were. "As expected," commented Kakashi, after having been silent for so long. His eye was trained on the clock. "10:00pm. Exactly when they dropped us off yesterday." The same vivid white light was filtering into the house from above-almost like a laser, without the damage. It engulfed the living room, and Ino had to swallow hard to get used to the sensation of slowly being pulled upwards again, this time from her seat. It felt as if her stomach were being tugged at separately, too. Like it might suddenly go floating right out of her mouth.

Sakura had sat up just as the ship arrived, so she was comfortably cross-legged as the beam pulled them towards the ceiling. That was when Ino began to panic, just a little. "T-that's solid wood and stone! How are they gonna get us through-turn us into human wrecking balls?" Now the blonde was frantically trying to swim back down in midair, to grab ahold of something that wasn't being manipulated by the beam. But it was to no avail. She continued to rise, higher and higher.

Ino could not understand how her companions could be so calm. Didn't they care that they were going to be smashed? Whoever was piloting this thing tonight was obviously lost-or maybe just a genuine idiot! There was only a few inches of space left between them. She couldn't help it; a small scream left her lips-

-just as the four of them vanished with a 'VWIP-POP'. They didn't even touch the plaster.

**…...**

'BEEP' 'WHIRR'

"...urgh..."

This time, Ino didn't experience the sensation of blacking out as they arrived on board the craft. As her body touched down upon the floor, she opened her eyes to see that, once again, they were surrounded by Tsunade and her guards. This time, there seemed to be no medical staff on hand. _Well, they did just beam us up from my house-we should be in good condition after a day of rest, right? _She looked around her, to see that the rest of her companions had already risen to their feet. Ino followed suit.

So far, no one on the ship had made any movements towards the new arrivals. Tsunade was simply watching them in silence, a small grin on her lips. As soon as Sakura turned to face her, she let out a chuckle. "All settled in now? Good." She didn't give her a chance to answer.

"Alright, first things first." And in three seconds, all of the flanking ANBU soldiers had surrounded the figure of one Sabaku no Gaara, who was currently torn between using his sand to escape, and setting a good example. He wasn't going to let them haul him in! But with a sudden shift and a muffled roar, he knew that the ship was already zooming away through the sky. More than likely, he'd wind up free-falling from the craft. And he wouldn't be able to guarantee himself a safe or comfortable landing. With darting eyes, he cast a pointed look at Kakashi, who was simply standing by as the guards drew in closer.

"Sabaku no Gaara...I'm not gonna ask why you're here, since you two have your own little history together." Tsunade waggled a finger in the air, back and forth between Sakura and the redhead. "But as of now, you are under arrest for multiple charges of destruction of property, assault and evading capture. Bust out the cuffs, boys."

Sakura knew that her ex was in a pretty dire situation. And since she hadn't yet been reinstated, her word wasn't quite enough to get him an appeal. _But Scarecrow's is._ With a hefty kick, the pinkette had sent the older male stumbling forward with a grunt and a "Yowch!" It served its purpose; all eyes landed on Kakashi, waiting for an explanation. Sakura narrowed her eyes. _Go on, you lunkhead-vouch for him! _

Kakashi cleared his throat quickly, at long last getting the message. "Right, right. Uh, Hokage-sama? If I may...in my time on Earth as an ANBU undercover, I've had the experience of being in Sabaku's company for an extended period of time. And, although he _has_ broken the law on numerous occasions...I for one believe he can be rehabilitated. I've fought with him as an ally in combat, in order to ensure the safety of both parties here, as well as a third." He motioned to Ino and Sakura. "If you'd like, you could also obtain some referrals from these two-"

Tsunade cut him off with another wave of her hand. "Enough, enough. I've heard _enough_! I was planning on a simple capture, not this long-winded plea bargain!" She sighed in annoyance. Sakura gulped, as the woman turned her hardened gaze back towards the redhead.

"Okay. _You._ We will give you the chance to appeal. When Cherry Bomb goes in for her session, you can come in with your 'lawyer' over here." Enter the air quotes. "We'll let you explain yourself." Her eyes narrowed. "But for the rest of the ride, you're in cuffs! And when we get to the kingdom, you'll be transported to a holding cell. If you mess this up-" She made a slicing motion with her hand across her throat, to illustrate her point. Gaara was a bit paler, and his eyes were slightly wider, but other than that he showed no reaction to her words. He merely nodded, and held out his hands. _Hey-at least I've got a fifty-fifty shot now of obtaining some kinda freedom._ It was better than nothing at all.

And so, the ride continued on uneventfully. Ino could feel herself growing antsy, as she let her eyes wander over the plain interior of the ship. She noticed a small round window straight ahead. The shades were pulled down over the glass. _Huh...wonder what's going on outside?_ She walked over, and reached out to lift the blinds.

'FWP' "Ah-ah-ah, Pig. You're still a newcomer to this kind of transport. So trust me-you _don't_ wanna look out there right now." Sakura had come up behind her, stopping her hand with a light touch. "There's a reason why it's closed off." Ino rolled her eyes, and reached for the blinds once again.

"Sakura, I don't even feel the ship moving now. So why should it-" 'SHF' Ino's voice cut off mid-sentence, and her blue eyes widened at the sight beyond the glass. _I-it's-it's impossible-impossible to keep up!_ "Urp! Excuse me!" And with that, the blonde bolted for the nearest bucket or waste receptacle. Sakura followed after her, shaking her head. "That Pig...sometimes, she's too hardheaded for her own good."

And thus, the trip went on and on...

'SCREEE...' 'DING' "Here we are, ladies and gents! At long last, we have arrived in Konohagakure! Thank God-I really can't stand being on this claptrap for such long intervals."

The engines slowly powered off, and Ino came to from her place upon Sakura's lap. After the unfortunate experience with the windows and a whole lot of mouthwash-amazingly enough, the bathroom had a couple bottles-the blonde had decided to take it easy, and enjoy a nap. Sakura, who at the time had been serving as a shoulder pillow, soon found herself relegated to full body pillow status. But she wasn't complaining.

As Sakura helped the groggy blonde to her feet, she cast a brief glance over at the rest of their old group. Kakashi was talking to a couple of the ANBU guards in hushed tones, while the still restrained Gaara stood behind him in silence. He was staring at a nearby wall. Sakura was perplexed by his focus.

'BEEP' 'WHIIIR...' And right before her eyes, the wall gave way, opening up backwards to reveal a angled rectangular door. Her eyes bulged. _Looks like the psycho called it. Guess I'm in need of a refresher course on my own technology. _Tsunade stood a few feet away, finger extended to press at a near invisible button hidden in an arch. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry...most of the time we're just used to the whole tractor beam method." One by one, the members of the ship filed out through the exit, until only the blonde and pinkette remained inside.

Ino could feel her heart beginning to pound. That same tension had returned, as she grasped at Sakura's hand with her own. The pinkette noticed the sudden death grip, and turned to look at Ino with what she hoped was a reassuring expression on her face. "Hey, Pig. What's the matter? Are you really that scared?" Ino wanted to say otherwise, but for once she had no retorts to make. In response, Sakura shook her head. "Pig...you need to relax some." And without hesitation, she'd leaned in to catch Ino's lips in a sweet kiss.

The teen froze. All previous worries forgotten, Ino had only one thought on her mind in that moment, as the heat rushed to her cheeks: _S-Sakura, I think this made it worse...!_ Her conscience was cheering, but her pulse was skipping like a rock chucked across a lake surface. She couldn't count the beats.

Then the pinkette pulled away, and Ino swore that just for a moment, her heart had stopped beating at last. At least it didn't accidentally, from the mini shock she'd just given herself. But she wouldn't deny it; couldn't deny that she wasn't happy about sharing her second-well, third kiss, actually-with the loony Hunter. She was _her_ loon. _I just wish she had a better sense of timing._

'TAK' 'TAK' With steady steps, they made their way down the ramp. For the first time, Ino got to see the ship up close. It resembled a metallic boat with a roof...or perhaps something more akin to an oversized tea pot? The dull black and silvery-blue tones seemed to fade against the scenery. They were currently inside the docking station. The high ceiling curved over their heads, as Ino gazed back a few feet before returning her focus to the front-and more importantly, the exit. Sakura's homeland lay just outside...!

The voices around them reverberated off of the walls, as the liquor-deprived Hokage began arguing with one of the mechanics. Ino rolled her eyes, but only served to make herself dizzy. Clutching onto Sakura's arm, she decided to simply hang back, and save her energy for once they were officially there. _In about seven more steps, we will be! _The door was almost within their reach! Ino counted down in her head, and her heart fluttered as Sakura took a hold of the door handle. She pushed out, and the door appeared to open in slow motion...or maybe it was just the blonde's perception. _Yeah, most likely_. She shut her eyes tight.

'CREEEAK...' Ino felt the crunch of dirt and gravel beneath her feet. She could feel a light breeze winding its way around her legs and waist, playing with the very end of her ponytail. She smelled the faint scent of wet grass-had it been raining earlier? Or was that from the morning dew? Just what time was it, anyway? With a sharp breath in, Ino opened her eyes.

"Ohh..." It was morning. A beautiful, glorious morning; the sun was just peeking over the lush green hilltop, and the periwinkle sky was trimmed with orange and pink undertones. She could hear the birds; hear them chirping and bustling in the tree tops. The hangar was situated outside the main hub of buildings, so as to avoid causing unnecessary noise at night if a flight out was required. That's how Sakura explained it, anyway. "Landings are a boisterous affair." She chuckled to herself.

Ino was busy inhaling the sweet fragrances of the flowers, which were carried along by the wind. She heard the pinkette, but didn't make a motion to respond in recognition. Right now, she had more important things to worry about. As she turned to face towards what she thought was the direction of Konohagakure, her eyes narrowed. An unfamiliar pair of figures were jogging towards them. Ino had no clue to their identities; all she could tell was that they were male. Instantly, her defenses were raised.

But Sakura now had a wide grin on her face, and she proceeded to walk forwards to greet these newcomers herself. As they drew closer, one of the two rushed at her, nearly bowling Sakura over with a mighty flying hug. She let out a grunt and her body bent forwards, but she managed to keep her balance. There was a loud amount of chattering now, as the clinging male went on and on about how happy he was to see her again. Sakura didn't push him away, and Ino felt just the tiniest pang of jealousy.

It was hard enough dealing with a strange land-she didn't need a pair of over-eager interlopers intruding on what could possibly be the last bit of time she ever spent with Sakura again! Her heart clenched then, and she drew in a sharp breath. _No! Can't think like that...I need to find s-something else to focus on! _In a panic, her blue eyes searched to find a new target, but ultimately wound up landing on the two new arrivals once more. She now raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Bits and bites, dattebayo!" _What...kind of greeting is **that**?_ "Oh, Sakura-chaaan...I almost forgot what it was like to hold you..." The one who was currently snuggled up to the pinkette had vividly golden spiky hair, that stood out over a tanned face with sparkling blue eyes. They were darker in shade than Ino's. Her gaze was drawn, in particular, to the thin lines across his cheeks; they seemed to be scars, closely resembling whiskers.

_Come to think of it..._Ino analyzed the young male, from his orange and black uniform to his playful tone. He truly did remind her of a fox. _What was he saying earlier? _Her thoughts lingered momentarily on his unusual greeting. _Is that something a fox would say? _She pondered this too, and eventually came to this conclusion: although his first words were strange, while the last ones were suggestive, Ino instinctively felt that he was saying them more for the purpose of eliciting a humorous response-some in joke that she wasn't in on just yet. So she wasn't going to clobber him silly.

"Naruto, you idiot. Give her some room to breathe." This line was spoken by the first male's companion. Ino gave him the once-over as well. He had dark spiked locks, that rose up in a point towards the back. Sharp bangs framed his face, as his deep brown eyes shifted to and from the blond and his companion. Ino swore she saw jealousy reflected in _his_ expression, somewhere. Or was it just annoyance? He crossed his arms over his chest, dressed in another darker-themed ensemble. There were only a few trimmings of white here and there, and it served to make his skin resemble the fresh snow. _What's he upset about? Sakura?_ _Am I gonna have to lay down the law here? _Ino felt her hand clench into a fist.

And that's when she realized that when he looked over towards the pair, his eyes were only focused on the male. _Naruto, right? Interesting name. _Looks like she didn't have to worry after all.

By this point, Sakura had grown weary of being held so tightly, and by someone who wasn't Pig. No offense to her friends, but she needed to breathe! And then, she had her duties to uphold; she'd sworn to herself mentally that she'd show Ino a good time in her homeland. Even if the circumstances were unquestionably tense, she would do her best to keep a smile on Ino's face. She had no clue that Ino was planning the same thing for her.

"Alright, alright! Let go of me, you goon!" The pinkette managed to pry Naruto off from around her waist, and he responded by scratching his head sheepishly, before offering a rushed apology. His still nameless companion shook his head, as a faint red hue crept into the blond's face. Ino wanted to know exactly what was what with these two. But first, a meet and greet was in order. And what better way to save her companion unnecessary stress than by starting the introductions herself?

Taking a deep breath, Ino cleared her throat, and put on the best smile she could muster. The three other members of the group turned to face her. "Err..." How should she start this? Say her name? Ask for theirs? Comment on the weather?

Or maybe she could just keep standing there. Naruto had shuffled over, and was now staring at Ino as if she had sprouted another eye in her forehead. "Oi, Sakura-chan, who's this?" He poked a finger out, and slowly brought it up to her nose. "Is she an alien, dattebayo...?" He looked over at his partner, and Ino felt a vein twitch somewhere in her head as the end of his digit pressed into the tip of her nose. "What d'you think, Sasuke?"

Sakura saw the explosion before it happened. She _could_ have said something; _could_ have tried to intervene. As she turned away, she caught the briefest glimpse of an enraged Ino grabbing Naruto by the collar, dragging him forwards as a fist came flying towards his tanned face.

But she didn't. She had her reasons why. _The fiercest side of her, that hair-trigger temper, and what does he do? Pisses her off, first meeting. Ai-yai-yai. _Sakura paid no attention to the hollering, protests, ranting, or grumbling-which was courtesy of the introduced, if rather hurriedly, Sasuke. _If he's gonna push her buttons then he needs to know what'll happen. I consider this...a wonderful learning experience! _

She grinned. _Pig needs to buy a punching bag, though. Seriously._

Naruto, on the other hand, considered it painful. Sasuke thought it was going just a tad overboard. As for Ino? It was stress relief and an introduction, rolled up into one. Now, she just had to worry about the apology she was going to wind up dishing out afterwards...

And this was still only the beginning.

**A/N: Heh heh heh...how'd you all like that?**

**Yep, Naruto and Sasuke have finally showed up. I wanted to bring them in from the beginning, if only for a little while. It just wouldn't be a party without them. Did my best to catch their personalities, while hamming it up a bit. Still not a full comedy, but meant to be entertaining, nonetheless. **

**Ino, Ino, Ino. That temper...you still have some work to do learning to rein it in. Sakura seems to be enjoying the minor mayhem, though. XD More hijinks are on the way in the next installment, as well as a whole lotta conversation. It's game time-just two more updates before this story closes for good. But since we've introduced some new faces, they need some time to interact and get to know one another, right?**

**As always, feedback is very much loved, desired, and appreciated. I always worry whether or not I'm doing a good job here-help ease my mind with a few lines in a review. :p Short comments, long ones, anonymous-the response makes it all worth it. I like seeing you all joyful and whatnot. I've been editing these last few chapters like a madwoman...^^;**

**Best wishes for the New Year, by the way. Happy 2011!**

**=^.^=**


	21. Ramble On

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own **_**my**_** OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

**Before I begin: Since this is the second-to-last chapter, I wanted to send out a MAJOR SHOUT OUT OF LOVE, to everyone who's been following this weird lil' plotbunny of mine! I really appreciate all the feedback and support! You rock, seriously! Mwah! 'blows kisses'**

**Now, on with the update!**

Chapter Twenty-One: Ramble On

"Ouch, dattebayo...you've got one heck of a punch there!"

It was just striking mid-morning, as the sun shone down brightly upon the kingdom of Konohagakure. The scenery outside was alive and vivid; the colors were brighter than a technicolor dream. It would be wonderful to take a stroll in the warmth, under the endless blue sky.

Hidden in the hub of the buildings was a small house, not too far from the main offices, but still rather concealed amongst the many towers, streets and high walls. Inside, as the world went on beyond the reaches of the plaster, cheerfully and without a care, were four figures-none other than Sakura, Ino, and the newly introduced duo of Naruto and Sasuke. Apparently, Sakura had known them before when she'd been living here.

But Ino didn't, and had ultimately wound up responding as such to their actions...well, mostly Naruto's. The pinkette hadn't mentioned anything about them, and as such the Earth girl had no clue that his personality was truly akin to that of a fox's. He was an utter prankster, and he loved pushing buttons. Too bad that Ino's buttons just happened to push right back.

So now, the blond male was seated at a small dining table, nursing the freshly formed bruises on his neck and face. Sasuke was sitting across from him, a wet rag in his hand. His expression was not one of amusement, but he kept the cloth close, as his companion continued to check his wounds with a handheld mirror. Every so often, he'd wave to the dark haired boy, and Sasuke would pass over the rag without hesitation. Thus, the morning went on in silence.

Sakura was leaning on the kitchen countertop, running her finger along the edges of his cabinets. She wrinkled her nose as she saw that the tip was now covered in a good layer of grey dust. After a few more moments of quiet pondering, she spoke. "You oinker, when was the last time ya gave this place a good cleaning?" Ah, yes. A smart comment would most certainly break the tension here.

Naruto gave her a meek grin. "Uhh, I dunno...hey, don't look at me like that, Sakura-chan! You know cleanliness isn't one of my strong suits!" He waved a fist frantically, and the pinkette chortled in response.

"I was just asking a question. Like hell I'd really make you wash the joint! I ain't no taskmaster!" So much for nerves. Folding her hands under her chin, Sakura proceeded to cast her gaze towards the kitchen doorway, where a still currently anxious Ino stood, resting against the frame. Or was she pressed into it, clinging on tight for whatever reason? Sakura couldn't be sure, but enough was enough. It was time to fully clear the air. She coughed.

Ino jumped, and looked over at her in confusion. What did she expect her to say? Did she want her to apologize, or something? Her heart thudded hard in her chest, and she gulped. _Oh...right_. Sighing, Ino released her grip upon the doorway, marching over to the third empty seat before the two males at the table. Plunking herself down, her blue eyes scanned their faces expectantly-but for just a second. Naruto was staring, mouth open slightly-his expression suggested a tug-of-war between 'fighting' or 'fleeing'. Sasuke raised an eyebrow quizzically, but did not speak.

_Oh, boy. That sure makes it easier..._Now she was looking down, eyes focused intently on her hands, which were folded before her and resting atop the table.

Sakura had to groan at this. _She's still got a lot t'learn._ Striding over, she placed a warm hand on Ino's shoulder. The blonde stiffened, but made no move to push her away. Right now, she needed a bit of gentle prodding.

"Guys...Pig's got something to say to you both, so if you'd please? Attentions? Focused now?" The pinkette flashed all three her trademark charming grin, and Ino felt her nerves settle just a bit. Sakura was on her side. She knew what was going on. It wasn't something she was used to, but...

The boys nodded slowly, turning to face Ino. Swallowing hard, she too lifted her gaze to meet theirs. She inhaled sharply, and opened her mouth.

And waited. And waited. And waited.

"I...I, uh...ah..." What was going on? Why couldn't she speak? Where was her speech? It was just two little words-why couldn't she spit them out? She licked at her lips frantically-they felt so dry. Why were they dry? Did she need lip balm? Was it the weather? Wait-this had nothing to do with the matter at hand!

Sakura was watching her curiously. Ino felt a knot the size of a golf ball in her throat. Now Naruto had the same look of bewilderment upon his face. Sasuke let out a soft sigh, and leaned forwards to rest his chin in his hand. "So, then...are you planing to start the conversation, or-"

Luckily for him before he could finish that sentence, Naruto chose to speak, effectively cutting him off. He had his own way of getting answers. "So what's going on, dattebayo? Are you gonna say something? Or do you got a frog in your throat? Ribbit, ribbit!" He laughed at his own imitation. Ino felt the heat flare in her cheeks.

"I'm _sorry_, alright, you _childish oaf_? But I'm _not_ good at giving apologies, so stop _heckling_ me! Okay? _Jesus_!" The blonde was panting, fists clenched and brow shining with a fresh coat of sweat. It was true-in all her years alive, the blonde couldn't ever remembering to really stop and apologize for anything she'd done. And she was sure she'd done a lot. She couldn't recall the specific incidents at the moment, but she knew they'd come back to her in time.

She'd been so focused on being blamed and being the victim, that she hadn't thought about how her attitude reflected on those around her. By not trying, not bothering to find an alternative, or just someone to listen, she'd wound up endangering everyone else. Her mother had almost died for it. If she'd just tried to speak, for just one moment, in a way that wasn't so combative...if she hadn't been such a damned tough girl; a recluse in her own world...

She bit her tongue, hard. That was definitely going to leave a mark, come tomorrow. But she needed to snap out of it. _No! That was then, and this is now. I've made it this far,and yes: there have been mistakes. But...there have also been many things gained, because of this experience. If none of this had happened, then I..._Her blue eyes darted over, to rest upon the pinkette. She was still staring intently, an expression of green-eyed bemusement upon her face. Ino thought she looked adorable.

_I would have never had the experiences I did with Sakura. Heck, I might not have even met her!_ Her heart jolted violently at this statement. _She's...it's like we've known each other forever, even though it really hasn't been that long. That's what a change in thinking can do to you. It can make you feel things; find yourself in places and situations that you'd never even dreamed of._ The human mind was very powerful indeed.

Now Ino's gaze rested upon Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura's companions from when she was living here. Naruto was talking again-or had he just been talking this whole time? Ino wasn't sure. Sasuke was obviously listening to him, though he seemed rather determined not to show it. Ino had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. What, was it damaging to his pride or something?

"...yelling all the time, and I think that I at least deserve an explanation for my-" The blonde girl cut him off before he could finish. "A-and I'm sorry...for calling you a-a childish oaf, too." Ino did her best to smile. It wasn't something she was used to.

'WHMP' "Great job, Ino." Now Sakura was hugging her. Seeing this, Naruto began smiling as well. He nodded his head. "Apologies accepted, dattebayo." Ino felt her heart swell, and she returned the hug with gusto. It was truly a wonderful moment.

"'Ahem' Uh, yeah-this is nice and all, but if you haven't forgotten...being banished? To Earth? Where I presume you to be from, yes?" Sasuke waved a hand at Ino, and she let go of Sakura, a noticeable pout beginning to tug at her lips. Sakura sensed the danger-and acted fast.

"Yeah, you're right, ya bird-brained wannabe!" Sakura smirked-that comment had effectively diverted all thoughts away from a confrontation. At least, with each other. Ino was trying not to laugh, as she saw Sasuke tremble-but just for a moment. In an instant, he was just as cool and calm as before. Ino was amazed at his emotional control. _It must have taken forever to perfect such an...ability?_

"Anyways, back to the subject which you so kindly reminded me of-my glorious return!" With that, the pinkette threw an arm around Ino's neck, pulling her close to give her a noogie. "It's all thanks to this lil' beauty here! If it weren't for her thick-headedness and mad psycho skills, Id'a been dead and stranded!" She began to laugh heartily. Naruto soon joined in with her, and even Ino had to chuckle a bit-once she'd gotten Sakura to stop grinding her knuckles into her skull, that was.

"How is that possible?" Sasuke tilted his head just slightly, in wondering. "I mean, not to be rude or anything, but...we were taught that the majority of humans really aren't that aware or perceptive of all the various changes-some not even of paranormal origin-that occur around them. " He coughed then, managing to look away from the blonde, whose face was a pale mask of an awkward smile. She was twitching.

"Of course, it's apparent that you're the exception to this rule." Sasuke was a trained fighter, but even he was in awe of the pure power that flowed freely, simply from Ino's rage. Add to that the fact that she was definitely housing a spirit energy of some kind, and you had the recipe for one deadly trump card. A human with the ability to see and interact with the dead, as well as their kind? It was unheard of.

His eyes narrowed. _But it all adds up...she could very well be..._

Now Ino was observing the expression on his face. It was taking all of her self-control not to wring his skinny little chicken neck. _Yeah, right...no offense taken, buddy...so I'm some kinda freak now?_

"Hello! Story over here! Haven't you ever heard of an explanation before, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura was once again stepping in as peacemaker, effectively silencing both Ino's anger and Sasuke's voice. She put on a grin.

"Yes, Pig here is the ultimate exception to the rule. Not only can she see 'em, talk to 'em, sense 'em and touch 'em...she can also kick some major demon ass. Sure, when we first met, she was a little shy." At this, Ino had to scoff. _Shy? **That's** how she'd describe it? Try 'completely and utterly unable to accept a reality with you in it. My, how things have changed..._Now, she was chuckling softly. Sakura had heard her, and was smiling-though there was a hint of a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes. "Well, perhaps the star here would like to explain things instead?" She poked her forehead once more.

Ino gave her a playful smile, pulling her hand down to kiss it before letting it go. She was feeling far more relaxed now. "Fine by me." She looked over at the two males. "Well? Any questions?"

"Yeah, I got one! Exactly how did you two meet?" Naruto was waving his hand in the air so hard, Ino wouldn't have been surprised if it had gone flying off. _So excitable!_ She sighed audibly, and reached across to still his movements. "Calm down, and I'll tell you. I'd been having a bad day-it was a Wednesday, actually-and after school had ended, I wound up coming face-to-face with this...well, uh...it was a demon...and only I could see it-"

"His name was Daniel. Remember him?" She smirked at Naruto. His eyes lit up as he began to laugh heartily.

"Oh, yeah! I remember him...gave us a lotta trouble when he was up here! Took five teams just to transport him-Class B slimeoid. Ugh, 'tebayo." He shivered. "We had to mix both the ANBUs and the Hunters. Ate up half of my damn kunai supply-do you know how much that cost? And then I still had to pay off the bill-they were new, with all the craftsmanship trimmings, dattebayo." He whined. "All that ramen I had t'skip out on, just to save up? And it was all gone, in a flash-" He swung his arm in an outward sweeping motion. "Just like that."

Ino looked up at Sakura in confusion. She was snickering. What exactly was so funny about this? Obviously, the guy was upset. Was she rubbing salt into the wounds, or what?

Sakura had other ideas on her mind. "That was the unlucky stiff who was chasing pretty thing here." She tugged lightly at Ino's ponytail, causing the girl to jump. She gave the Hunter a half-pout, trying desperately to hide the small smile of enjoyment she felt at being given so much encouragement and attention.

Naruto's jaw was hanging. "No way, dattebayo! You couldn't have! I mean, y-you were there! You had your own fair share o'troubles with the guy when you were in the transport party! How'd ya pull it off?" Even Sasuke seemed intrigued now, his earlier expression of distrust and disbelief gone. In its place was one of the utmost captivation. Yes, he'd had his own little skirmishes with the brute as well.

The pinkette looked so smug. "Well, for one thing, I went in there determined that I was gonna stop the louse, once and for all. Plus, I had a civilian to protect. At the time, I mean," She added on quickly, seeing the look of questioning flicker across Ino's baby blues. It was like an unspoken 'Excuse me?' "You're not a civilian anymore, no siree!" She chuckled. "You're a savior of them, actually."

Ino blushed at these words. Naruto and Sasuke, however, had no interest in the lovestruck musings that were currently taking place between the two girls in front of them. They wanted answers, damn it! Strong, clear-cut responses that they wouldn't have to ask a million and one more questions about, simply because their cohorts were 'lost in each others eyes'! Sasuke slammed his fist against the tabletop. "How the hell did you kill him?"

Sakura was leaning back, eyes wide and lips pulled tight in a thin line. She blinked, before letting out a long "Owwwwwwch...", proceeding to stick her pinky into her ear. "That really smarts. You didn't need to yell, Charlie...I would've told ya if you'd given me a few moments to collect myself." Pulling her finger out, she sighed in relief. "Ahh...no blood. Safe!"

Ino covered her mouth to suppress a giggle at the over-dramatic reaction. Sure, her ears were ringing, but it wasn't really all that life-threatening. She'd live. The blonde began to suspect that Sakura got quite the chortle from poking fun at her stoic companion. Exactly why was he like this, anyway?

Sasuke huffed. "And in what way do I possibly resemble a Charlie? I am and always will be a Sasuke. I'm..." But he trailed off, eyes focused on the actions of Sakura before him. She was making a mouth with her right hand, mimicking the act of speech as he spoke. She rolled her eyes at his expression, and leaned over to flick his forehead. He let out a soft whine.

"Calm down. It's just a joke. You still remember how to laugh, right?" She gave him a warm smile then. "And you'll always be Sasuke to me. You pompous hedgehog." Standing back, she returned her attention to Ino. "But yeah...we blew Daniel up with Dorchet. It was way simpler to handle on dry land than in space. All that lack of gravity, you know? Guess that's why it only took one shot to finish him off." She started snickering then. "Hee hee. 'Finish him!'" Ino groaned inwardly-looks like they got old-school video games out here, too.

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, thanks..." He mulled over their explanation in silence. Naruto was far more accepting. He was on his feet now, bounding across the short distance around the table to grab Sakura by the shoulders, and begin shaking her. "Wow, that is so cool, 'tebayo! Oh, oh, oh! So you and Ino here-can I call you Pig, too?-you two were like, kinda in business for yourselves as Hunters down there, then? Keepin' the peace in Konoha! Wicked awesome, dattebayo!"

He was panting now, but at least he'd stopped the shaking. Managing to pry his fingers from her arms, Sakura patted his head. His sharp golden locks didn't flatten from the contact. Ino was strangely impressed by their durability. _And it's all natural too, right?_

The pink-haired one bore a smug smirk upon her soft rosy lips. She was certainly impressed by his enthusiasm. "Sure, you could say that. About our racket, I mean." Suddenly, she punched his arm, causing him to stumble back. "But no, you can't call Ino-Pig Pig. That's my name for her." To establish her point, she bent down over the girl, chin resting on her left shoulder. Thank goodness for seats with low backs. Her arms wrapped around her upper body possessively, and Ino felt her cheeks begin to burn. _Oh, boy..._But it didn't stop that little smile from creeping in at the corners of her mouth; that pleased little grin. It was good to be wanted. She reached up, to hold the pinkette closer.

Naruto chuckled nervously, fishing for a reply. "O-okay, just-wanted to-no, I mean, just checking. Yeah, alrighty then...I'll just stick t'calling you Ino then, 'tebayo?" Having reached the end of his response, his nerves seemed to disappear, and once again he was grinning like the cat who swallowed the canary. _And then the canary, in retribution, started growing a nest or something from the top of his head..._What strange places Ino's imagination could wander, if she let it.

But back to the events at hand. Clearing her throat, Ino prepared her reply. Short, sweet and polite. No problem.

Then she spoke. "Okay, canary-boy." She had the giddiest smile on her face. She was so happy-no stuttering, and it was loud and clear! She could be nice! She _was_ nice!

It took her all of five seconds for her to realize exactly what she'd just called Naruto. Ino face-palmed, _hard_. Her cheeks and brow were stinging, and her nose felt like it had been squashed back a size or two. _L-like a pig's..._

But it took Sakura all of three seconds to decipher the joke, and fall over laughing. She was rolling on the ground, while Ino was clutching at the end of her long ponytail.

Sasuke and Naruto were in awe of the...the...well, they weren't quite sure how to phrase it. Was it a show? An act? A joke? A display of brilliant insanity? _L-like that boxy yellow guy on the TV...what's his name again, dattebayo?_ He blinked. The name was a mystery to him right now.

Now that Ino had somewhat recovered from her shock at actually saying what was on her mind, helped by the fact that neither of the guys had commented, she took notice of the fact that Sakura was laughing so hard. Was it...was it really because of what she'd said? How could she possibly have known the reason why? Ino had only been thinking about it! She hadn't actually mentioned anything about the thought process behind it when she'd given Naruto her answer!

_Unless..._her eyes widened. _She...she can read my mind?_

'WHAM' "Whoo...that's a good 'un, Pig! Aw, man! And here I thought ya didn't have it in you!" Sakura was sitting up now, catching her breath after the laughter had subsided. One hand rested atop her abdomen, while the other was palm-down against the floor. She gave the blonde a teasing grin.

Now Ino was confused. She tilted her head. She really was adorable like this...but she was even cuter when she started figuring things out. Sakura loved the fact that she, in a sense, was like a mentor to Ino. It made her so proud. She'd never wanted to share things like this, with anyone before.

For once, she'd found someone who needed her...as well as someone she needed. As cocky and rowdy as she acted on the outside, on the inside she was still just another girl, who remembered listening to fairy tales about the Princess and Prince Charming. Well, in this case, you could scratch out the 'Prince', and just double the girls. She pondered this for a moment. No...she didn't really see herself in the ball gown. She kinda liked the armor. Ino would look amazing in it, though. _Oh, that's right-she needs an answer. Whoops! Where does the time go?_ She gave Ino the most amazing smile.

"What I mean is...well, I know when you're thinkin' deep about what's taking place around you, and I know when you're thinkin', but not really here. So based on that logic, I let my imagination take me to the most logical solution. And that, my dear Pig, was a real rib-tickler. Man oh man..." She stood up slowly, dusting herself off before reaching down to try and flick Ino's nose. The blonde leaned away, only because she remembered Sakura's comment earlier about the place needed a good cleaning. It had nothing to do with the act itself.

"But yeah, that's our story. Mmm..." Sakura stretched again, and there was an audible 'CRK' in the room. She let out a sigh of relief. "Much better..." Then, her expression changed-it was as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head. "Oh yeah, and we met up with this soldier named Hatake Kakashi-and Gaara too, while we were out there! Remember him, guys?" Sakura waggled her eyebrows at them.

Both faces simultaneously lit up. Wait, lit up? "No way! Really, Sakura-chan? You're not pullin' our legs here? Kakashi-sensei was the one who taught our team during the Genin and Jounin portions at the ANBU academy!" Now it was the girls turn to be surprised.

_Well, I'll be. He really **does **have some credentials._ Sakura nodded slowly. "Uhh...uh, yeah!" She hadn't known that ol' silver had such connections to her crew; the ANBUs and Demon Hunters were notoriously separated during training. But who was she to let a lack of info stop her stride? "I'm one-hundred-percent serious here, noodle boy. You can ask Ino too, if you like. He was undercover among the humans as a teacher at her school."

Naruto's blue eyes were sparkling, as he looked at the blonde with a newfound interest. "Nice! He taught you too, just like he taught us!" He motioned between himself and Sasuke. "Sweet! We can totally swap stories!"

Ino shook her head. _Oh, jeez. He was rotting minds out here, too?_ Sakura saw the gesture, and jumped in with a clarifying response. "N-no, Ino, it's not what you think. Out here, their schooling was a little...different. You guys down there stick to book smarts-we were all taught a little more along the lines of combat." She smiled. "So while he may be an epic fail as a teacher, if you actually want to learn like on your world-here-I'm assuming, anyway-he's actually quite the skilled fighter who's prepped more than a few of our neighbors on how to go a few rounds. These boys now included," she added on, motioning to the duo before them.

The teen nodded slowly. "Alright, yeah...I think I understand..." Her brow furrowed. "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna lighten up on the jokes." Sakura gave her a thumbs-up. "I wouldn't dream otherwise, Pig." She was smirking, too.

"You mentioned Gaara too, yes? Your ex, if I'm not mistaken?" Sasuke had cut in yet again, bringing the mood back to a somewhat more solemn level. Ino had to frown, just for a moment; was he always such a wet blanket? How could anyone be so serious all the time? She blinked. Had she once been like that, too? With such an aversion to the mere concept of happiness? It was a frightening thought.

Sakura nodded. "No need to look so glum though, ol' chap. As you can see, I'm clearly in one piece!" She did a little twirl. "Fact of the matter is, we're actually on a level closer to friendship, if anything else. And no, before you ask-I know you are, so don't even try to deny it. Either of you. But no, we didn't fight. He wanted to, oh sure." Sakura was examining her fingernails.

"And I almost went through with it. I met up with him in a secluded area. But at the last minute...I turned him down. It broke his spirit just long enough for Kakashi-sensei to show up and put a stopper on his sand attacks." She looked up, giggling at the mental image; Earth video games were simply too much fun. She'd never tire of them.

"After that, it was a simple game of 'who the fuck are you', and without his powers-added to the fact that I was in love-well, you got one heck of a formula for estrogen overload." She grinned at Ino. "Yeah, he respects me now-and it's all 'cause of you." The blonde was in appreciation overdrive. So much sweetness...it was certainly a welcome reward after all that had taken place before.

Naruto was still a bit fuzzy on some of the details. "But why? I mean, why didn't you fight him? How did Ino stop you, dattebayo?" This was cute and all, and he was happy for his friend, but this whole meet-and-greet was starting to remind him less of a reunion, and more of a fill in the blanks type of deal. And he...well, he wasn't so great at picking up hints. So this was madness.

"Ah. That." Sakura chuckled, swinging an arm around Ino's shoulders yet again. "Well, if I'd actually gone through with it: if I'd fought him, I would have lost her completely. That was something I couldn't risk. And I'm a bonafide daredevil. So that's saying something, right there. I've gambled my life on a daily basis for the last decade or so. But this...I couldn't bet her." Her eyes softened. "Pig's too precious."

Ino was stunned. _S-she never...she never fought Gaara after all...she defied him, all b-because of me..._Ino whirled around then, wrapping the pinkette up in a tight hug, pressing her lips to hers with all the love that was radiating through her. Sakura grunted, but quickly returned the action with gusto. Ino was trying not to cry.

_Sakura...thank you. Thank you so much, for everything...everything you've done for me, consciously or otherwise. I owe you my life...but I'm just as happy staying by your side. Wow, this is getting pretty dramatic._ She sat back, and wiped at her eyes. After a few seconds, she looked up at Sakura with a smile. "Let's just say that...I'm very happy right now, and leave it be." The Hunter nodded, returning the expression with a grin. As she looked away towards the two males, Ino's smile faltered. Her eyes narrowed.

"Sakura...what about the meeting tomorrow? Your reinstatement?" A small conversation was just begin to start between the three, but Ino's comment cut it short in an instant. She saw the pinkette's shoulders stiffen. A long silence passed amongst the four of them. Ino couldn't see her companion's face, but she didn't need to. Her body language told her all she needed to know. This was just as trying a situation on her as it was on the rest of them-more so on her, because she was at the center of it all. Everything that happened from this point on hinged upon her response.

After another few moments of collective silence, she spoke. "I...I don't know, Ino. I'm sorry...I'm sorry that I don't have an answer for you right now." She turned around to face her, and the blonde could tell by the glassy sheen of her eyes and the red rings that now, she was trying not to cry. And these weren't tears of joy. Ino's heart fell. This was really eating away at her-she'd only seen Sakura cry when she knew that the girl was truly feeling at her worst. Those times were few and far between.

"But I...I'm gonna do my best, to f-find a way..." she paused here, to take a slow breath. "I'll find a solution...I promise you. I'm not gonna leave you, Ino." Although wavering, that familiar green fire had returned to her eyes. Ino's heart skipped a beat. She trusted Sakura. She'd never failed her before. They would find a way.

Sakura wiped at her eyes once more. "And speaking of tomorrow...after I get my license back, they're gonna sentence Gaara. See, he's in custody now-it's the 'right' thing to do. Although I do feel for him-he's not gonna do well in jail, trust me on this one. He won't learn anything. There's gotta be a way to change his punishment." She grinned toothily. "And that's where Scarecrow comes in! Before we took on our last baddie-we'll fill you in on those deets later-he unlocked Gaara's powers, and said that if he helped us take the guy down, he'd find a way to commute his sentence. So hopefully..." She crossed her fingers. "We can work something out."

Ino crossed her digits as well. Although the redhead had nearly driven them apart, he had grown on her after a while. Just like Kakashi, and Sakura...okay, not _that_ much. The pinkette was in a class of her own. She smiled nervously. But hey, he'd at least tried to help, right? And he hadn't fought Sakura either, so that was another plus. _Good luck, dude_. Ino imagined him standing before a court of ANBU's, lead by a drunken Tsunade. That meant that it could go good or bad; an even chance of either a successful, or not so welcomed outcome. She gulped. _You'll need it._

Naruto was nodding like a bobble head. "Is that it, 'tebayo? Wahoo! Now it's our turn for intros!" He pulled at his collar, popping it out. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konohagakure, student of Hatake Kakashi and teammate of Uchiha Sasuke!" At this, the dark-haired male groaned. _Lovely. Do I __even really need to tell them who I am now?_

Nevertheless, he continued to watch the blond boy, a hint of a smile curling at the very corners of his lips. Naruto was Naruto. He'd gotten used to it by now. Didn't mean that he was free of annoyance. It was just...you took the good with the bad. And the bad far outweighed the good. Though he wasn't about to say this thought aloud.

The tanned boy prattled on. "I live by myself in a nice cozy apartment! Although I plan to be the next leader, I still took the courses for the ANBU path. After all, a leader's gotta know how to defend themselves, right?" Ino was listening, though she wasn't sure how to respond. Perhaps she wouldn't have to?

_Hey...he said he lived by himself, right?_ She tilted her head. _But he's my age...what the heck? Is it...legal to live on your own here if you're underage, or something? _"Naruto, how come you're not living with your parents?"

Sakura flinched. Sasuke's eyes widened, and Naruto seemed to pale a bit, as his grin slipped slightly. He looked away, scratching the back of his head. "Well, uh, y'see...they're kind of, um..." He was obviously trying to downplay his discomfort. Not a question he was prepared to answer. "They're...they're not around anymore, 'tebayo." The realization hit Ino like a shot to the heart. "They're dead..."

_Well, so much for pleasant conversation. That's out the window._ Sakura placed a hand on Ino's head, and glanced over at Sasuke. "What about you, bubba? Wanna bare some o' your secrets before we break up this lovely little meeting? You know, open up about your-"

"No." His tone was flat and sharp. Sakura dropped the matter instantly.

"Some other time, then." She returned her attention to mending the awkward moment between the two blonds. _Hey, if my career as a Demon Hunter doesn't pan out, for whatever reason...I could always become a mediator. Or a referee._ She snickered softly.

And so, the day went on.

**…...**

'TMP' 'TMP' 'TMP' 'TMP'

"Well..." 'SHF' "Here we are, guys. This is it-beyond these double doors, the moment of truth."

It was a new morning in the kingdom of Konohagakure. After a fitful sleep the night before, Ino had risen along with the others, to prepare for the day ahead. This was the day of Sakura's return to the Demon Hunters; her actions on Earth, in Ino's home city, had impressed the head of her home world so much that she'd decided to bring the pinkette back here and remove her punishment. Which meant only one thing in Ino's mind.

Sakura was leaving her.

They'd been seen off by Naruto and Sasuke, before entering the main building where the courts were located. Naruto had given handshakes and words of encouragement, while Sasuke had merely waved. But there had been an underlying current of worry to their eyes. Although they weren't going in with them, they were just as anxious over the results. And, as much as they would've liked for the pinkette to stay with them...they knew she belonged with the blonde.

The girl in question stood in the center of the group, looking up at a pair of imposing double doors in awe. She reached out to grab a hold of one of the door knockers-it was bigger than both of her hands put together! _So intimidating..._To her left were Kakashi and Gaara, just as nervous about the forthcoming events, but for their own reasons. Kakashi really wasn't looking forward to a return to the grind, plus he was playing lawyer to Gaara. And Gaara...well, he had jail time to think about.

Ino stood to Sakura's right. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and they were shaking. She looked at Sakura with what she hoped was a reassuring smile-it took all of her jaw strength not to let her teeth chatter. "It's t-time, Sakura...let's go in."

The pinkette nodded, and pulled the gigantic handle upwards. She brought it down with three forceful slams.

A feminine tone answered. "You may enter." It was low, and even from behind the door, it seemed to echo. Ino wondered briefly if there were speakers outside. But she didn't get a chance to check. With a long, groaning creak, the doors began to slowly swing open before them. Sakura abruptly released the door handle, since she didn't feel like being dragged today.

The entryway was wide and dark before them. Ino was trying to stay calm. She suddenly felt a hand slip over both of hers, still clutching together tightly. After a few seconds, Sakura managed to grab ahold of her left. She smiled at the blonde, who returned the gesture, though with a little more reserve. Her nerves were like popcorn.

_No turning back._ With that, the four strode inside.

**A/N: Yeaaah...this chapter's just chock-full of dialogue. And strange, random humor [at least, it was supposed to be lighter than the last couple of chapters, just a bit]. Hope it wasn't too boring, though?**

**This chapter went through a LOT of edits; I found so many glaring inconsistencies with my own blasted canon! XD That's not good. I also tried to show that the relationship between Sakura and Ino is mutual; someone pointed out, quite helpfully, that a lot of the contact was on Sakura's part. So I tried to illustrate that Ino was just as receptive to the idea of initiating affection. Hope I didn't go overboard.**

**I did my best to try and balance the comedy with the personalities. Sasuke was a bit of a pain to pen out here. Yes, he's still got the heavy backstory here, but...it's not quite following canon; he's closer to Naruto in this universe, hence why he hasn't tried running away to the dark side. Hope that makes sense? At least a little? ^^;**

**All feedback is welcomed and adored. Don't be afraid to drop a line-we're nearing the end of the home stretch here! I don't bite; feel free to just stop in and say hi, if nothing else! I just like hearing from you all, in general. Your feedback gives me wiiings~! [XD Lousy joke is old and lousy.]**

**Next time: Last chapter! Will Sakura stay or go? Will Gaara escape prison time? And what about Ino's relationship with Akane? All will be revealed! It's been a long two years, but I'd like to hope that the ride was worth it. :D Thank you all!**

**=^.^= **


	22. Take the Long Way Home

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own _my_ OC's (Original Characters), if any appear. Oh, and this particular fanfic. Thank you.**

Chapter Twenty-Two: Take the Long Way Home

_O-oh, man...'GULP' So much for not feeling awkward...it's like a mini army of Harunos! Minus the hair, and the uniform, and the forehead, and the eyes...I think I'll stop now._

The group had stopped dead in their tracks, as a bright light had suddenly been turned on above them. The double doors had slammed shut with such force that Ino had been briefly tempted to yell out "It's a trap!" I mean, who would honestly slam a pair of giant doors, unless they were extremely giddy about something? It was like they were saying 'We've got you now! Mwahahahahahahahahaha!' Yeah, cue the evil laughter.

But back to the setting itself. The room seemed almost cylindrical in nature; it was circular, which meant no corners. And it extended far upwards above their heads, like a wide tube. The various members that were present were seated upon pedestal-like chairs attached to oversized desks that they would peer over every few minutes. Was it really that hard to keep track of their subjects below? Ino found that to show a lack of thought, as far as practical planning went.

The walls were a faded shade of blue-grey that seemed to glow pearly white, thanks to that gigantic light bulb above their heads. Ino couldn't even look up at it directly. Her attention didn't reach any farther than the officials above them.

Tsunade was seated in the center, flanked by a brunette and two Demon Hunters who had one Hunter each at their sides. They all carried their own pistols, though Ino took note of the fact that they weren't nearly as eye-catching. Their choices in clothing weren't quite as bizarre as Sakura's own uniform.

To their sides were two ANBU soldiers, clad in the full masks and uniforms-which Ino had been taught of prior to this-unlike Kakashi and his simple Jounin outfit. From the corner of her eye, Ino saw the man give them a brief salute, before nudging Gaara forwards a few steps. Okay, maybe 'shoved' is a better word for it. The redhead was steamed, as he just barely avoided falling flat on his face. Not only was his power on lockdown, but his wrists and ankles had also been bound. He was on something of a leash, if you will. It was tricky shuffling.

Ten people above them. Ten judges.

"Alright, alright...let's get this show started." Tsunade's cheeks were flushed slightly, but her behavior wasn't too questionable. Ino figured that she hadn't gotten smashed early in the a.m, like she'd thought would happen. She was merely buzzed. "The re-licensing of Haruno Sakura, and the, uh...trial of Sabaku no Gaara! Yeah...that's right." _Re-licensing? Still, just a buzz..._

Sakura gulped audibly, but no one aside from Ino seemed to notice it. She gave a fleeting glance to the pinkette, watching as she began to take a few steps forwards. Ino turned her attention towards the front, feeling her chest tighten and her breathing slow, seeing Sakura bend down on one knee with her head lowered. Tsunade gave a short nod, and cleared her throat.

"Yes, well...we have gathered here to observe the reinstatement of your fellow officer, Class-C rank Demon Hunter Haruno Sakura." She smirked a bit. "Although I think you may be up for a promotion soon...keep your eyes open, kid." To her left, one of the Hunters paled visibly; a male with light colored hair that reached his shoulders, and a bandana with a metal plate over the front on his head. Ino pondered the thought. Class-B Demon Hunter Haruno Sakura...she didn't know if she'd like the sound of that. Only if she'd get to see that status in action every day. She folded her arms across her chest.

Tsunade continued on. "However, at one point, you were stripped of your title, and banished...to Earth, where you were supposed to be quiet and bored. I even sent _that_ guy down t'keep an eye on you!" She nudged a thumb in Kakashi's direction. "I know you had rough beginnings, and I know that you only wanted to help, but damn girl-you were a wreck!" She chuckled softly, shaking her head. Sakura looked up at her, and Ino could see the admiration shining in her green eyes-at least, until she was forced to turn away because of the light. Ino sighed.

"But. I had no idea that the negative demonic population had exploded like this. So many lost souls, and all those attacks-yes, I saw them all. Every last battle of yours. We have our ways. And I also saw something else, something I hadn't expected from exile.

"I saw a Demon Hunter: a truly skilled warrior who knew how to get the job done-and, as time went by, learned how to keep the collateral damage down to a minimum. I saw a woman who stood up to her challenges, and never backed down-although she knew she was doing it in direct violation of my orders. I have to give you props for that spine. Once I saw what was really going on, the rules didn't matter.

"We let Kakashi know that, too. I mean, really." She snorted. "If I'd said so, he would've had you bound and powerless in an instant. But I told him to let you keep going, and in fact to help you out as much as possible." Her amber gaze wandered, this time to drift between Ino and Gaara.

The blonde started to feel antsy. Desperate for a distraction, she looked at Kakashi with a scowl. "You were in contact with them before this? So you knew they were gonna grab us!" Her hissing whisper paired with the expression of frustration and anxiety made for a frightening image. The silver-haired male tried not to shiver. "N-no, you've only got it half-right there. Yes, I was in contact with them, but no, I had no idea about the pickup. They never told me anything about that, so I was just as much in the dark as the rest of you." By the time he finished explaining, his calm demeanor had returned completely.

Ino's eyes narrowed, but she relaxed, returning her focus towards the speaker above. Tsunade was playing with the end of one of her pigtails. She raised an eyebrow at the girl below. "Oh, right. You two. Where do you fit in? Well..." The woman looked at Gaara. "You're a criminal, that's the short and short of it. And you..."

Her eyes were searching Ino, without even twitching. "You...oh, you're special." She grinned broadly. "Yes you are. See, we didn't think that you actually existed. But you do. Just like Konohagakure's a demon cesspool on Earth." She looked a bit sheepish now. "Heh...maybe we should check how things are being recorded 'round here..."

Now Sakura was looking back and forth between Ino and her former mentor with a strange gleam in her eye. "Sensei, are you saying what I think you're trying to imply?" Her green eyes were round and wide. She looked like a pet begging for a treat.

Tsunade gave her a pointed look. "Well, if you'd let me finish, then yes, I will finish my '_implications'_ and say it already!" Sakura snickered, but soon quieted down to allow Tsunade to resume her story.

"You must remember the famous Battle between the Two frontiers: Heaven and Hell themselves. Light and dark, good and evil, yin and yang." She gave Ino a sympathetic look. "Oh, you wouldn't understand this even if I explained it to you. Such narrow minds you have down there. Let's just say that way back when-starting before you were born-the two sides got thrown out of whack on your planet, sending the two energies into a fighting frenzy. It was a real time of conflict. The backlash was strong enough to reach here. We had to fight to stay stable. There were a lot of shooting stars and fireballs during that time. The defeated: fallen angels and demons alike. And exactly where do you think they fell? Do the math: we're above, you're below." She wagged a finger at the blonde girl.

"That's right-you must've been born on the night of a falling star. The angel sought refuge in the body of a new soul entering the planet-but obviously, it couldn't possess you. Just its energy lingered on...kid, you've been tremendously blessed here." She flashed her the thumbs up. "Thanks for proving the legends right."

Ino was struggling to understand this new information. So she...was she a reincarnation, or just drenched in angel dust? Sakura could see the consternation on her companion's face. Standing up and striding over from her place upon the floor, she draped an arm over Ino's shoulders. "Yeah, I'mma do the rest of the ceremony from here, just like this." She planted a kiss upon the blonde's cheek, and she felt her heart do a loop-de-loop. "Okay?" The pinkette stuck out her tongue with a smirk. "Now, on with the pomp and circumstance!" She swung her other arm into the air, fist clenched.

Tsunade huffed. "Same as always. No real respect for tradition...but meh. I can let it slide today." She winked. "Now, I'm pretty certain that this whole meeting's been riding you worse than a bungee-wedgie, so why don't we just hurry up and get it over with, eh?" She reached out across her table, picking up a pen to begin filling out the necessary paperwork. "And with this...all written out...there we go! All done! With us as your witnesses," and she motioned towards the rest of her group, "you, Haruno Sakura, have been reinstated as a Demon Hunter!"

She leaned over and reached down, holding something small and thin between her fingers. "Here you go. Your license. Don't lose it again, hm?" Sakura extended her arm, collecting the little plastic card and holding it eye-level for examination. _Yep...it's definitely my license. I'm back in business, baby!_

It was still the same: the glittery sticker that she'd stuck on one side, the frayed lower left corner-thanks, teething demon infant!-and the photograph of her posing with her guns. Most people just liked seeing their faces, all neat and clean. But not her. She wanted anyone who saw her card to know that it belonged to someone who'd dealt it out in a scrap or two. Which was why she'd shown up for her photo looking like someone from a bomb fallout. Ino had to hold back a laugh; if she started, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stop.

Then, Sakura's elation seemed to fade. Her eyes were cloudy, as she looked at Ino, then the card in her hand. She looked up at Tsunade. "Sensei...am I gonna have to move in after this is over? I mean, back into my old house?"

The woman blinked. "Well yeah, I guess so-unless you wanted to wait until sometime later? I mean, you're gonna have to go there at some point. You don't really have anything to unpack though, so..." She trailed off. "It shouldn't take too long. But yes, you will be moving back to your previous residence."

The pinkette sighed, looking weary. Her emerald eyes lingered on the card in her hand. Then, she looked upwards once more. "Then, with all due respect, I...I can't accept this. I can't stay here."

**…...**

'BMP-BMP' _W-what?_ Ino was stupefied. Had she heard Sakura right? She'd just gotten her Demon Hunting license back-the thing she'd wanted more than anything, and she was turning it down? When had the world gone bonkers?

Tsunade was puzzled. "Wait...you don't wanna be a Hunter now? What's going on?"

Sakura swallowed hard. "It's not that I don't wanna be a Demon Hunter, I just...I don't wanna do it here." Her voice was so imploring. "This place is my homeland, and I do love it, and my friends, but...to stay here, we'd have to separate." Her voice wavered slightly. "I wanna stay on Earth, and hunt the monsters there...with my Pig." _S'not like it'd be so impossible, anyway-now that I'm not banished, I can actually keep in contact with my buddies via communicators. Simple pimple. _She looked away then.

Ino had to hug her, just for having the guts to take such a stand, and for being so adorable. _You screwball cutie-pie...!_

Tsunade was still lost. Perhaps she wasn't as sober as Ino had first pegged her for? "Wait...you wanna stay on Earth? And hunt there? But, I mean, well-"

Kakashi cut her off. Sakura was now looking at him in astonishment. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, you did say yourself that there was a higher demon population down there than you'd first expected. Why would it be such a stretch to have a Hunter set up, to keep an eye on things?"

"But-teams on missions outside of the kingdom need four people! This way, there'd only be the two of them! I can't authorize that!" Kakashi chuckled. "Well, you've already got your group. You're looking at them." He waved a hand around in a circle, to emphasize his point.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Tsunade burst out laughing. Kakashi flinched-he wasn't sure if that was better or worse than being chewed out.

"Oh...oh my _God_! Are you serious?" Tsunade's face was bright red from her earlier fit of giggles. "Not that you're not qualified, but that's just it! You're an ANBU officer, not a Demon Hunter _specifically_! Your main job is to protect our kingdom, as well as yours truly!" She chuckled softly. "If you leave, then the teams will be uneven."

"And this is a bad thing _how_?" The blonde woman's eyes narrowed dangerously, as she cast a stony glare in Gaara's direction. Kakashi wanted to slap him silly. Did he want to wind up in prison? He was wrangling a real Golden Ticket here! Gaara simply continued to stare, lower lip jutting out slightly in a defiant pout. Was she affected by more than just alcoholism?

Kakashi cleared his throat loudly. "Well, I'm sure that if you looked through the Jounin ranks, you'd find someone more than suitable to take my place." Tsunade raised a hand, mouth open and ready to protest, but she stopped, realizing that the man did have a valid point. Recruitment trials would be opening up in about a week's time. She could certainly find a replacement. Furiously, she wracked her brain for a new counterargument.

"Ah! But what about him?" She pointed an accusing index finger in the redhead's direction. "He's a criminal! How could you possibly keep him on your team? You can't trust him!"

"What?" Ino had had enough. This woman's logic was driving her batty! She marched forwards, before Sakura or any of the others had a chance to say otherwise. Hands planted on hips, she fixed the Hokage with a stormy gaze.

"No disrespect, ma'am, but I thought you said that you saw every battle we've been involved in! Is that true?" The teen's commanding tone was startling. Tsunade leaned back, eyes wide in astonishment. "I, I-well, umm...yeah, I did?" She gave Ino a meek grin.

"Then you of all people should have seen it for yourself! Gaara worked as part of a team-he followed orders, and helped to save all of our hides! Yes, he has a record! But why can't he work it off?" She spun on her heel dramatically, pointing at the bewildered group behind her. "Make a team of fighters specifically for Konohagakure on Earth! He can be a member, and work off his offenses by taking down evil in the name of the Hokage!"

Now she gestured wildly towards Tsunade. "Think of the honor! The glory being wrought, under your order!" Then she flashed a blindingly charming smile. "Besides, we all work so well together." With that, she made her way back to Sakura, sharing a quick kiss before leaning against her with a satisfied smirk.

Sakura wanted to swing her around and do some mad ballroom dancing. If Demon Hunting didn't pan out, for whatever reason, Ino could surely score a career as a lawyer...or an actress. Yes, she'd stood up to the Hokage, of all people. But, she'd managed to come up with a solution to Gaara's dilemma. Not only that, but it carried over to her and Kakashi's situations as well. And, the most important thing of all:

She'd appealed directly to Tsunade's ego.

After a few more moments of quiet indecision, the busty leader broke into a smile, and pounded her fist upon the tabletop. "Alright, sold! You got yourself an Earth Hunting Force, and some _major _community service, on his part!" She shook a finger in Gaara's direction. "Be thankful, kid-if it weren't for Miss Angel over there, you would've found yourself rocking out some silver chains in a prison cell!" Gaara didn't say anything, simply choosing to nod slowly in return. His expression was neither happy nor upset. Sakura knew this stance.

_As soon as we're outside, he'll start up. If nothing else, he's gonna be grinning so hard...that creepy smile he gets when he's enjoying the bloodlust...but he may start chuckling, too..._She shivered, and looked back at Ino beside her, to take her mind off the sinisterly joyful mental image. The blonde was beaming at her, baby blues seeming to swirl and glitter. "So, this is it, huh? We've finally made it..."

"Not quite." Those two words interrupted their discussion-how could Tsunade hear her when her voice was purposefully lowered? She must be listening in! Annoyed, she merely glanced upwards at the smirking leader. "What now?"

"_You_ still need your license." Ino gaped at her. "Don't think I forgot your role in all this." She bent down, apparently sifting through the contents of an unseen drawer on her side of the desk. Pulling out a couple sheets of white paper with neat type, she began scribbling away. "And...here!" She swung her arm down, brandishing the sheets in front of a still speechless Ino. "Sign these!"

Ino stepped forwards again, this time much more timidly. Gingerly, she took the forms in her hand, looking over the content with a keep eye. _It's...these are..._Her breath seemed to have solidified in her throat-or had the passageway shrunk from the force of the multiple bombshells? _These are the forms...for becoming a D-Demon Hunter...! _She was trembling violently.

Sakura let out a little whoop of delight. "Oh, yeah! Slam dunk!" She skipped over to where Ino stood, and turned herself around so that her back was facing the teen's front. "Go on-fill those suckers out!" She giggled, and reached up to collect the pen that Tsunade now offered. Ino took the thin instrument, and pressed the sheets firmly against the pinkette's shoulder blades. With slow, deliberate strokes, she filled in each necessary blank and box, until all three forms had been completed. She handed them up to the Hokage in a dreamlike trance.

'BAM' The woman had stamped the last paper. "And, done! You are officially recognized as a licensed Demon Hunter-though you are only D-Rank. But when you come back up for evaluations-don't worry, it's only once a year-you can try for a new level!" Sakura gave her an encouraging smile. "And you'll have me there t'guide you, though I think you're doing just fine on your own." The blonde felt lighter than air.

She was a hero. She was a real, honest-to-God Demon Hunter...not just a convenient sidekick to Sakura-she was doing things! She was important! She was helping others...she had a purpose. She looked up at Tsunade with a new reverence. The woman chuckled. "You can take your picture after the meeting lets out, which is...right now! Oh!" She stood up.

There was a 'DING', and the overhead light began to dim. There was a lot of sighing and shuffling, as the other members arose and stretched, before heading for the doors. Ino realized then that they hadn't done much of anything during the entire course of proceedings, and wondered then if their appearance was only for show. What a cop-out; worried for nothing! No judge, jury, or executioner here..._Oh, well. We win!_

The Hokage stood in the doorway. She gave a last glance back towards the newly recognized four-member cell. Her eyes lingered on Ino. "You'll get your card in about a day. Then you can go back." She gave a short salute. "Later!"

As she walked away, the sounds of eager female chattering and cheering fading behind her, a final thought lingered on the corners of her mind, causing a small smirk to tug at her lips. They curled up towards the left.

_Thanks for reigning her in. I always wondered if she had another half...a better half. Guess I've found it. Take care of each other now...and keep makin' us look good up here._ She slipped around a corner.

The doors closed softly as the group left at last, far more quietly than when they'd first arrived. It was a reassuring sign of things to come.

**…...**

"Ino! Are you almost ready to leave?"

"Yeah, mom! I'll be down in a second!"

It was a fresh new morning in the city of Konohagakure. The sun streamed down over the various buildings and figures, as they set out to complete their daily routines for the day. Cars drove, horns blared, doors opened and closed with each new batch of footfalls that passed through them, and voices mingled in the crisp air of sunup. It was a symphony perfectly attuned to the patterns of modern-day human life.

Nestled among a batch of cream-colored houses was Ino's abode, and at the moment said girl was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, adjusting her hair. The ends of her bangs kept grazing under her right eye, and after a good few years in the same style she couldn't decide if she liked it this way or not. After all the hullaballoo that she'd gone through to reach this point, she figured she was entitled to at least a moment's worth of real teenaged mini-drama. _Oh, status quo! I just can't quit you._

Short or long? Falling forwards, or tucked back? She had choices, but no leads on which was the way to go. _Maybe I should get a second opinion..._Huffing softly with a furrowed brow, the blonde chose to leave her hair concerns be, at least until she was downstairs. Facing the closed bathroom door, she turned the knob and pulled it open.

The sound of a clearing throat made her jump. Whirling to her right, Ino came face-to-face with none other than a smiling Sakura, leaning against the wall. Dressed in that familiar red uniform, she was a sight for sore eyes. Ino returned the expression, before falling back into her previous puzzled pout. The pinkette blinked. Then, she sighed. "Alright, Pig. What is it now?" The teen regarded her with a slow tilt of her head. "Sorry? What?"

"Something's buggin' you. We've been living and goin' together for three months now-I can tell when you've got a heavy mind." She flashed Ino a smug grin, tapping at her temple with her index. "Like a rock." Ino shook her head, blonde ponytail swinging and bobbing behind her. The motion reminded her of her previous questioning in front of the glass. When she looked back at Sakura, it was to regard her with an eye-roll and a grin of her own.

"Sorry to bum you out, but it's no big deal. No dramas. Just some adolescent appearance issues. Vanity." Sakura's eyebrows lifted upwards, as if to say 'oh, really? She was still smiling, though. "Do go on-this, I wanna hear."

"Yeah, well...do you think I should change my hair?" Now Ino was fiddling with the end of her long bangs once again. Her knuckles brushed against the edge of her chin. "I mean, not that I don't like all this, but...maybe it's time for something new?" She glanced back at the pinkette before her hopefully.

Sakura burst out laughing. Ino had no idea how to interpret this. But she allowed the Hunter to wrap an arm around her shoulders, guiding her down the hall and towards the stairs. Sakura's pink locks framed her cheeks as she looked over at her beloved partner-in-crime. _She's still got a few things to learn..._

"Ino-Pig, why you always gotta want t'be messing with yourself? I mean, you're fine the way you are now!" She coughed. They had reached the top of the landing. "To me, anyways. Yeah. But..."

"Meh." Sakura then leaned in, to give her a sweet peck on the lips. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Nobody else seems to see a need for you to change, so I really don't see why you wanna worry your pretty lil' head over it. We got bigger fish to fry, anyways!" The girl bounded down the stairs, and after a few more seconds of silent contemplation, Ino made her way down as well.

_She's right. It's no big deal. To be honest, I like this look. It suits me well. So I think I'm gonna keep it for a little while longer. _Satisfied and beaming, the blonde pattered into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Akane was seated at the dining table. A warm mug of coffee was in her hands, but she placed it down to look up as Ino walked in. Her blue eyes no longer bore that haunted gaze, and she was genuinely smiling as she greeted her daughter. Giving her a quick hug, the woman then looked forwards, nodding at her companion in the doorway. "Good morning, Sakura." She returned the greeting with a light wave. "Yo."

Yes. Ino had told her everything. After she'd been brought home from the hospital, discharged a week following her daughter. Well, the Ino-clone, anyway. She'd made sure to introduce Kakashi and Gaara, too. If they hadn't shown up to chase off Kaijuu when he'd first appeared, buying the blonde more time as well as calling 911, well...Ino didn't dwell on the thought very long.

With all that they'd been through; how close she'd come to losing her mother forever, Ino surmised that it wasn't worth keeping this secret life. Maybe from everyone else in the world, yes. But not her mom. Not the person that had brought her into this world; the woman who had birthed her. The woman she had jumped head-first into her own personal Hell to save.

It wasn't like she hadn't been willing to listen, though. Akane had been through her own hellish nightmare, and upon awakening in the hospital had come to the realization that things...they were exceptionally different from what she had seen in her mind's eye years before, as a young girl. This wasn't the life she had planned for, wasn't the life she could have foreseen.

But it was all she had. One shot, to make it count-and she was wasting it away; trapped, at the bottom of a bottle. She had responsibilities. She had obligations. More importantly, she had no happiness. At least, she wouldn't if she kept to this road of self-destruction. How close had she gotten not only to death, but to losing her only child? She'd nearly driven her away.

It was a lot of work, they knew. Aside from keeping Ino's 'extra-curricular activities' on the down-low, along with Sakura's general existence, Ino was also playing the role of guardian, as Akane went through the bitter struggle of severing oneself from the cruel specter of addiction. This was a good day-three months, and so far she'd had not but two slips. Akane had a strong will, when she truly chose to invoke it on a positive level. Sakura could see where her partner had inherited her resilience from.

There were some stumbling blocks, though. Because of the extent of the damage to her insides from the constant boozing, as well as the coma, Akane had to take in the occasional checkup in order to keep an eye on things; make sure the damage didn't become worse in any manner. So far, so good. But she'd been cutting it pretty close. She wasn't that old, but had to take things easy, slower than someone her age necessarily needed to. And she'd shaved off at least a few years from her lifespan.

That was the price of selfishness; of over-indulgence and self-pity. She'd have to make do with what was left. But now that she and Ino were actually communicating like a real parent-and-child team, she had no fears of that falling through.

Akane watched from her seat as Ino rummaged around in the fridge for something to eat. Eggs, fruit, bacon, or...Her blue eyes lingered on a half-full carton of milk, and she licked her lips in anticipation. _Today feels like a cereal day. Whole oats, you know?_ Pulling out the container, she placed in on the counter and closed the fridge door. From there, she proceeded to face the cabinets in search of a suitable bowl. Sakura sat down next to Akane, who was now sipping once more at her mug.

"So, any...'appointments' I should be aware of for the day?" The older woman gave Ino a sly grin. "You guys got any cleanup to take care of?" This was her way of asking, in so many words, whether or not the duo were planning to Hunt.

Ino was now pouring her meal into the bowl, so Sakura decided to answer this one. "Nah, not yet. We haven't sensed anything in about three, four days." She gave Akane a wink. "If anything comes up though, you can be sure we'll drop you a line beforehand. No worries, big mama." The woman rolled her eyes at the moniker, but said nothing in retort. She'd grown used to the pinkette's hangups by this point. After being possessed by a domination-obsessed, soul-sucking demon, things like pink hair, pistols and quirky comments were nowhere near startling enough to faze her.

They didn't notice, but Ino had stopped her actions and was not focusing on the activity between the two females. There was one other thing that Ino had had to reveal to her mother: that she had fallen for her other half in Demon Hunting, and that they were a couple.

Surprisingly enough though, Akane took it well. There were a few ground rules, of course: no sex. That was pretty much it. It was only for a few more months, though-graduation was coming up, as well as Ino's eighteenth birthday. After that...

_"It's all up to you, hon. I can complain, but you'll be legal, so my points'll probably be moot." She'd placed a hand on the girl's shoulder then, and Ino remembered looking into her eyes, seeing the encouragement and...admiration?_

"_You're a good girl, Ino. And a wonderful daughter. I couldn't have asked for a better child." She looked away then. "I'm just ashamed to admit that it took me this long, when you're standing on the brink of adulthood, to finally understand it. I wasn't the greatest mother out there, I'm sure-as the parent, I'm supposed to be the one who sets the example, right? Like mother, like daughter."_

_Ino heard her sniffle. Her eyes widened. Was the woman crying? "But, I must...also say that, while as much as I can see myself in you...I see far more of a unique young woman sitting before me: a p-person of her own definition. Someone who will blaze her own trails in life, for those courageous enough to follow. And I-you can't even imagine...how proud that makes me-!"_

_That was where it had ended. Ino hadn't been able to keep from blubbering. She had reached over, to wrap her mother in a bear hug. It had been so long since they'd been close like this...like a parent and child should be. For the first time in a long time, Ino no longer felt the sting of a broken family. She felt renewed, wide awake-reborn. It was like someone had just removed a blindfold and blinders from her eyes. She was seeing the world in a whole new way._

_**Family. Friends. Love. I...I have them. I really do...**Her heart thudded then, and she'd looked up from her mother's shoulder to see Sakura, sitting on Akane's left as cute and patient as could be. Her mouth was a slightly lifted line, but her eyes were far too playful. It made her just as joyous, after learning what happened before, to see the two together again. The wound was healing._

_Akane had started dabbing at her eyes with the end of her sweater sleeve. "Well...well, then." She was trying to regain her composure; Ino knew that opening up like she just had was not something easy for her to do. She struggled with the same issue on a daily basis. But thanks to Sakura, she was getting used to it; no longer did it feel so threatening and foreign. **And as long as I'm by her side...mom will, too.**_

_Her mother chuckled. Ino was surprised to hear the sound pass her lips. "What's so funny?" She didn't get a chance to really ponder Akane's actions, as she replied. "And, with you two together, I won't have to worry about her getting pregnant."_

_Oh, boy. Ino had leaned across, to swiftly cup a hand over the pinkette's mouth, before she could get into the subject of how artificial insemination was handled a...bit differently up on **their** Konohagakure. Save that bridge for the day when they were actually old enough to start considering kids. Hopefully, they'd still be together..._

"...no...Ino...Ino-Pig! Hey, wakey-wakey! You're gonna drown your crunchies!"

Sakura's voice brought the girl back to the present sharply. With a hard thud, she'd brought the milk carton back onto the counter. Looking back over at her grinning candy-haired partner and her mother, who bore an amused smile upon her face, Ino let go.

_Yeah. I think so._

**…...**

"So, whatcha wanna do after school, Pig? Maybe buy some more snacks, have another session at the park?"

"No can do, Sakura. Homework, remember?"

"Aw, pistachios! Well, we could always look for a demon and feed it t'them...then you can tell the teachers it got eaten."

"Sakura...wait, did you actually do that as a kid?"

"Um, uhh, I mean-'coughs' What do you mean, 'did I do that as a kid'? I'm not a kid _now_!"

"But that's...not the point at all-oh, forget it."

The pair were making their way across the busy streets at a good pace. Sakura was invisible to all but Ino, and she stuck close so the blonde wouldn't have to speak as loud. It helped to bring her peace of mind, and Sakura couldn't argue with the logic. It would look weird if people could hear her talking to something that wasn't there, as far as they could see.

As they waited at the second-to-last stoplight before Konoha High came up, a sudden flare of power caught both of their attentions. It was strong, and didn't seem to be in danger of dispelling anytime soon. They looked off to their lefts, towards the direction of the shopping mall. Sakura's jade green eyes locked with Ino's icy blue ones. "You thinking what I'm thinking, Pig?"

"That we can make it to the school in less than five if we do mad sprinting, and get Kakashi to cover for us with his programmable clone jutsu?" Ino's voice was low and husky, but she was grinning eagerly.

"Exactly. Duty calls. I'm sure he'll understand-no, trust me, he will!" Sakura gave her the thumbs-up. "It's an excuse to get outta class, and make a substitute! Like hell he'll put up much of a fuss!" The light changed, and they darted across like lightning.

_Who knows? Maybe we'll pick up Red on the way, too..._"Got your weapons at the ready?"

"You know I do, Pig. Always locked and loaded." That's what she'd been waiting to hear.

It was going to be a long day.

And Yamanaka Ino wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

THE END

**A/N: Ta-da! Here we are, the finale! Hope it was satisfying! I admit, it was...a bit twisted, in terms of trying to get everything to fit, but in the end...meh, I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. I mean, I at least tried to drop a hint or two earlier on about Ino's angel status, without giving it all away. Sorry if it seems a bit contrived, though. ^^; As they say, practice makes progress, right? I did my best: I have no regrets.**

**So, Ino and Sakura are together. They're hunting demons on Earth, along with Kakashi and Gaara. Ino and Akane are repairing their broken relationship. Everything's pretty much as normal as it can be. **

**Probably the one thing I'd have liked would be to spend a little more time on the 'adventures in Konohagakure in space'. Maybe a oneshot is in order...? Or a miniseries? What d'you think?**

**As always, feedback is welcomed, loved and appreciated. Seriously, MAJOR thank-yous to everyone who put up with all the delays. Two years, yo! Two years! Whew. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed the ride! :D**

**=^.^=**


End file.
